Elderly woman stabbed, house looted in Malda; Locals slam police inaction

An elderly woman was attacked with a knife and her house looted in Bulbulchandi village under Habibpur police station limits on Sunday morning. The victim, Annabala Mridha, was critically injured and has been admitted to Malda Medical College. According to her family, her son, Subrata Mridha, is posted with the CRPF in Tripura, while she lives with her daughter-in-law and two grandsons. The attacker reportedly entered her room, assaulted her with a knife, and fled after looting cash and gold jewelry from the house.

The incident took place while a three-day-long kirtan was ongoing in the village, which locals say kept most residents occupied. After the attack, police recovered a knife from the scene and began an investigation. No arrests have been made so far. Villagers claim there was no police presence in the area at night, which they believe allowed the assailant to act without being noticed. Some residents have questioned the effectiveness of local law enforcement and demanded increased security measures in the area.

Authorities have not released details on suspects or leads in the case. Police have stated that efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the accused. Residents have urged officials to strengthen night patrols to prevent similar incidents. The victim remains under medical care, and her condition is being closely monitored.