Kolkata: A 40-year-old woman and the wife of a college professor, Enakshi Das, was found dead at her Garia home on Sunday morning with a piece of cloth stuffed in her mouth and a blunt-force injury to the back of her head. Her husband, Soumik, has been missing since the incident, leaving behind their ailing 8-year-old son in the adjacent room.The Narendrapur police, who initially lodged an unnatural death case, are now investigating it as a murder after a preliminary autopsy indicated she may have been strangled. There were signs the woman resisted her attacker, leading to a scuffle and the head injury, which resulted in bleeding. Police said that since the husband is absconding, he remains the prime suspect. Sources said the deceased lived on the second floor of the apartment with Soumik and their young son. The family moved into the housing complex about four years ago and reportedly maintained limited interaction with neighbours. The incident came to light when their domestic help, Rinku Adhikari, arrived at the flat on Sunday morning. After receiving no response despite repeated knocks, she grew suspicious. She had also been unable to contact the family by phone since around 8 pm the previous evening. With the help of a neighbour, she accessed the main gate key and went upstairs. The door to the flat opened with a push. Upon entering, she found the child asleep in one room, while in another room, Enakshi was lying motionless on the bed under a mosquito net. Soumik’s absence from the flat immediately raised suspicion. Neighbours were alerted, and the cops were informed. Police arrived at the scene and recovered the body. The victim’s parents, who reside nearby, were also notified. The body was taken to Sonarpur Rural Hospital, where doctors declared her dead, and has since been sent for a post-mortem examination.A search has been launched to trace the absconding husband. The investigation is underway.
