East Burdwan, 18 October (H.S.):

A car carrying a couple returning from a doctor’s appointment plunged into a roadside pond in Ghosh village, under Memari police station area of East Burdwan district on Friday night. The wife died in the mishap, while her husband was rescued alive.

The deceased has been identified as Asmatara Khatun. Her ancestral home is in Taherpur and their in-laws' home is in Hatbaksha village. Locals pulled her husband, Mukul Sheikh, alive. By the time Asmatara was pulled from the pond, it was too late. Doctors at Memari Hospital declared her dead.

Family members said the couple had gone to see a doctor in Burdwan on Friday. While returning, the car suddenly lost control and plunged into the pond near the village.

However, the deceased woman's family alleged on Saturday that this was not a mere road accident but a premeditated murder. The family claimed that Mukul Sheikh had an illicit relationship with another woman, which Asmatara was aware of. This led to a plan to eliminate him.

The deceased woman's mother said, My son-in-law said he was taking my daughter to the doctor. I called him when he was at Memari. Everything was fine. I only received this news a short while later.

The police have initiated an investigation into the matter and a man named Mafijul Sheikh has been detained and is being questioned.

The police are now trying to determine whether this incident was an accident or a planned murder.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey