POLICE SOLVE KALIMPONG TWIN MURDER

Amitava Banerjee, HT, Darjeeling, June 20, 2014: Dominic Bhutia and his wife Christina Bhutia had to lose their lives for a trifle cause- they had cut grass from their neighbor’s porch despite repeated warnings. The Darjeeling police have solved the gruesome twin murder case, arrested a person and his son and recovered the murder weapon also.

The incident had occurred in the village of Lower Beeyong in the Gidabling area under the Kalimpong sub division. At around 5am on Thursday neighbours of the Bhutia family, hearing sounds of sobbing rushed to the Bhutia household. Arriving at the residence they found Dominic Bhutia and his wife Christina Bhutia lying on a pool of blood. Both the dead bodies were dismembered and bore deep slash marks on their faces and heads.

The neighbours found the elder daughter 12 year old Yankee Ongmu Bhutia in a critical state. Her face, head and arms bore injury marks. Her right eye was completely damaged. Only the youngest daughter Rinzi Ongmu Bhutia had miraculously escaped the ordeal.

Police had detained one Puran Rai, Bhutia‘s neighbour. “We had interrogated him and finally arrested him. Based on Puran’s statements we arrested his father Hangjit Rai on Friday. Later Hangjit admitted that he along with his son had committed the crime. The Bhutia’s would cut grass from Rai’s porch for their livestock, despite repeated warnings from the Rais. Finally in a fit of rage the father and son duo committed the murder. We even visited Rai’s house and recovered the murder weapon, a Khukuri (traditional Gorkha sword.)” stated Akhilesh Chaturvedi, Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling.

Puran charged under Sections 302 (murder) 326 (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and Section 34 IPC was produced at the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Kalimpong on Friday. He has been remanded to judicial custody.

Charged under similar sections of the IPC Hangjit Rai will be produced at the ACJM court in Kalimpong on Saturday. Meanwhile the condition of Yankee Ongmu Bhutia remains critical.