New Garia elderly woman murder: Maid and partner arrested, valuables recovered

Police have arrested housemaid Ashalata Sardar and her male accomplice Jamal in connection with the murder of an elderly woman in a residential area of New Garia. Both accused allegedly killed the victim and stole valuables from her house.

Ashalata, a resident of Patharpratima, had joined the household through a maid service center. Her duty hours were from 8 PM to 8 AM. She reported for her first shift on 17 August but was absent on 18, 19, and 20 August. CCTV footage recorded her presence on 21 August, but the cameras were later switched off.

Investigations revealed that Ashalata tied the elderly woman and strangled her. Jamal, stationed outside as a lookout, had turned off lights and CCTV before the incident. After the murder, both stole jewelry and other valuables from the house.

The victims, Bija Das and her husband Prashant Kumar Das, live in New Garia, while their children reside abroad – a son in Mumbai and a daughter in Germany. Neighbors discovered the crime on Friday morning when they found no response from the house. The elderly woman’s body was found bloodied with hands, legs tied, and tape on her face. Panchsayer police recovered the stolen items and confirmed further investigation is ongoing.