Son-in-law accused of strangling father-in-law to death in Basirhat

A man has been accused of murdering his father-in-law in the Baduria area of West Bengal and attempting to present the death as a suicide. The body of 49-year-old Kazi Mozaffar Ahmed was recovered on Sunday night from Bhata Road near Tetulia Bridge under the Baduria police station area. Police detained the victim’s son-in-law, Shamim Gazi, along with another individual for questioning in connection with the case.

Local residents informed police after spotting the body lying beside the road. Officers reached the scene and recovered the victim’s motorcycle along with a four-wheeler allegedly used by the accused persons. Residents claimed there were visible strangulation marks on the victim’s neck. A bottle containing poisonous weed-killing chemical was also found near the body, leading to allegations that poison had been poured into the victim’s mouth to make the death appear to be a suicide.

Eyewitness Humayun Kabir stated that around the time of Maghrib prayers, he received information that several youths were attempting to forcibly drag a man into a vehicle. According to local residents, nearby security guards raised an alarm, after which people rushed to the area. By the time residents reached the spot, the accused had allegedly fled, and Mozaffar Ahmed was found lying dead.

According to local sources, the victim’s daughter Arifa Khatun and her husband Shamim Gazi had been involved in a long-running family dispute, due to which Arifa had been staying at her parental home. Residents alleged that the dispute had previously led to confrontations between Shamim Gazi and his father-in-law. Arifa Khatun also alleged that her husband had threatened to kill her father on multiple occasions in the past.

Police sent the body for post-mortem examination and launched an investigation into the incident. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the death and questioning the detained individuals regarding the alleged murder and the suspected attempt to mislead investigators. No official statement had been issued by police regarding the case at the time of reporting.