X-Files-style murders - Parents 'gagged' with bags

ABHIJEET CHATTERJEE, Bankura, Feb. 11: Udayan Das, accused of murdering his live-in partner and parents, told police during interrogation last night that his plan to murder his father and mother was inspired from the American science fiction thriller series The X-Files.

"He killed his parents by gagging them with plastic bags that he slid forcibly down their head and face. They died of suffocation. He claims to have learnt this method of killing from The X-Files," Bankura police chief Sukhendu Heera said.

Earlier, Udayan had told the police that he was fond of murder mysteries and crime thrillers and had watched Devil's Knot twice on the day he killed his partner Akansha Sharma in his Bhopal home.

"Udayan, whose life's dream was to settle in the US, seems to have modelled all three murders on what he saw in American films and television series," an investigating officer said.

A Bhopal police constable today arrived in Bankura and handed over the post-mortem report to the district police chief.

The police said the autopsy report states that Akansha was throttled and strangled to death. "The cartilage on her back was damaged and injury marks were found on her facial bones," a police officer said.

The police said the body was decomposed beyond recognition and a DNA test would be done for its clinical identification.

"A viscera test was done, but the report is yet to come. We will apply for a DNA test before a court soon," the officer said.

During the interrogation, Udayan told the police that on June 24, 2016, after Akansha reached Delhi from Bankura to catch a flight to the US, they had checked into a hotel.

"Udayan had told her that he had some work in Delhi and that they would fly to the US after a few days. They had checked into the hotel and stayed there till the first week of July," another officer said.

Later, Udayan took Akansha to Bhopal saying he needed to collect some important documents from his house before leaving for the US. "They checked out of the hotel but kept their luggage there, telling the staff that they would collect it soon," the officer said.

Udayan returned to Delhi on July 16, two days after murdering Akansha, and took the baggage from the hotel.

Udayan also told the police that he had purchased a second-hand Mercedes for Rs 5.50 lakh and a second-hand Honda City for Rs 1.90 lakh in 2013.