Who Killed the Woman Found Half-Burnt in Tripura?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the woman's death.
- Police officer suspended due to negligence.
- Chief Minister has ordered a detailed inquiry.
- Claims of political connections complicate the investigation.
- Community outrage demands justice for the victim.
Agartala, Sep 20 (NationPress) - On Saturday, the Tripura police apprehended four individuals and suspended a police officer regarding the discovery of a half-burnt body of a woman in the Gomati district of Tripura, according to officials.
Superintendent of Police for Gomati district, Kiran Kumar K, confirmed that the arrests were made after the discovery of the victim's body in the Mirza area, under the jurisdiction of Kakaraban police station.
“We have taken action against Assistant Sub-Inspector Sanjay Sarkar for failure to fulfill his duties related to this case,” stated the district police chief during an interview with IANS on Saturday evening.
The state’s Chief Minister, Manik Saha, who oversees home affairs, announced via a Facebook post that a thorough investigation has been initiated regarding the Mirza incident.
“All those implicated in this appalling act will face the legal system. Four suspects have already been taken into custody,” Saha remarked.
According to another police official, the victim's husband, Pankaj Sarkar, alleged that five young men attacked his wife on Friday night, doused her in petrol, and set her ablaze, which led to her death from the injuries.
The police have filed a case related to this incident and await the postmortem report, which is expected on Sunday. Following its review, the case may be reclassified based on the findings.
Initially, the FIR was logged as an unnatural death, with investigations continuing to locate all suspects involved.
“Additional charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, will be incorporated based on the investigation's revelations and the inquest report,” the officer indicated.
Pankaj Sarkar further claimed that one of the accused is a nephew of a local BJP MLA. He mentioned that prior to the incident, he and his wife, a mother of two, had approached Kakraban police station to report threats and assaults they faced from three individuals while working at their shop in Mirza market the previous Thursday.
He alleged that police refused to register their complaint. “After returning home, we went to bed separately, as is our routine. This morning, my wife's charred body was discovered on a nearby road,” Pankaj recounted.
The local MLA was unavailable for comment. Opposition parties, including Congress and CPI (M), have criticized police actions, alleging attempts to protect the accused.
“The police initially dismissed the complaint lodged by Pankaj Sarkar and his wife. Disturbingly, the couple was pursued by the accused while returning from the police station. It seems the police are shielding those responsible,” accused district Congress president Titan Paul.
Residents noted that the couple was recognized as BJP members in their community. Leaders from the ruling BJP, Congress, and CPI (M) have visited the deceased's home, promising stringent measures against the culprits, regardless of their affiliations.