Kolkata: Prasun Dey — the younger of the two brothers at the heart of the “suicide pact” that came to the fore with a car crash on Feb 19 — has told cops that it was he who had slit the wrists of his wife, Romi, and sister-in-law, Sudeshna. But he maintains that he had no hand in the death of Priyamvada, his daughter.
Early on Feb 19, a car crash on the EM Bypass, near the Avishikta crossing, had left Prasun, his brother Pranay and Pranay’s son, Pratip, seriously injured. The cops were led to the bodies of the two women and the teenaged girl at the Dey residence in Tangra six hours later, after Prasun alerted them from his hospital bed. Over the last 10 days, the cops have been trying to piece together what really happened, based on circumstantial evidence and survivors’ statements.
Police sources reported what Prasun had told them: on the morning of Feb 18, the two brothers woke up to find Priyamvada dead in her room. This was possibly from the effects of the poisoned payesh that the family had eaten the night before. Here, Prasun’s version contradicts his brother’s: that Priyamvada was alive but struggling to breathe, and that “one of” the two brothers throttled her.
According to Prasun’s version, the four adults decided to die by slitting their wrists. “He claimed Romi had initially tried to slash her own wrist with her left hand but failed, after which Prasun decided to ‘assist her’ by doing it himself,” said a source. Sources also added that Prasun had said he also slashed Sudeshna’s wrists, although there was no mention of whether she, too, tried to attempt it herself.
The source said that Romi’s postmortem suggested that she had “resisted, and even fought back.”
Prasun also pressed pillows into Romi’s and Sudeshna’s faces to muffle their screams, the source said. All this while, Pranay was on the second floor with Pratip.
Pratip was later brought down from the second floor and an attempt was made to first slash his wrist and then smother him, Prasun has said. The boy had told WBCPCR functionaries on Thursday that his uncle had tried to smother him on Pranay’s instructions, and that he had fought back and then pretended to be dead.
Prasun also claimed that Pranay had mixed medicines — blood pressure and sleeping pills — into the payesh on the evening of Feb 17. Viscera reports of all three are expected “very soon”, said cops.
One thing appears clear: The only person who died of the drug overdose is Priyamvada.
Cops were earlier certain that the two brothers carried out the three murders, hinting at strong legal action against them. A murder case has been lodged at Tangra PS. The cops on Friday reiterated that they would arrest the brothers the moment they are released from hospital.
“While Prasun’s confession is important, Pranay’s role as a key conspirator cannot be negated,” an investigating officer said. “He told us that he was weak-hearted and, hence, stayed away on another floor. But there is nothing so far that suggests that he was also not an equal conspirator. The suicide plan hatched on Feb 10 was initiated by Pranay. He reportedly broached the subject to his younger brother, citing their financial condition. He also brainwashed his son to join in the suicide bid while inside the car,” the officer added.
Early on Feb 19, a car crash on the EM Bypass, near the Avishikta crossing, had left Prasun, his brother Pranay and Pranay’s son, Pratip, seriously injured. The cops were led to the bodies of the two women and the teenaged girl at the Dey residence in Tangra six hours later, after Prasun alerted them from his hospital bed. Over the last 10 days, the cops have been trying to piece together what really happened, based on circumstantial evidence and survivors’ statements.
Police sources reported what Prasun had told them: on the morning of Feb 18, the two brothers woke up to find Priyamvada dead in her room. This was possibly from the effects of the poisoned payesh that the family had eaten the night before. Here, Prasun’s version contradicts his brother’s: that Priyamvada was alive but struggling to breathe, and that “one of” the two brothers throttled her.
According to Prasun’s version, the four adults decided to die by slitting their wrists. “He claimed Romi had initially tried to slash her own wrist with her left hand but failed, after which Prasun decided to ‘assist her’ by doing it himself,” said a source. Sources also added that Prasun had said he also slashed Sudeshna’s wrists, although there was no mention of whether she, too, tried to attempt it herself.
The source said that Romi’s postmortem suggested that she had “resisted, and even fought back.”
Prasun also pressed pillows into Romi’s and Sudeshna’s faces to muffle their screams, the source said. All this while, Pranay was on the second floor with Pratip.
Pratip was later brought down from the second floor and an attempt was made to first slash his wrist and then smother him, Prasun has said. The boy had told WBCPCR functionaries on Thursday that his uncle had tried to smother him on Pranay’s instructions, and that he had fought back and then pretended to be dead.
Prasun also claimed that Pranay had mixed medicines — blood pressure and sleeping pills — into the payesh on the evening of Feb 17. Viscera reports of all three are expected “very soon”, said cops.
One thing appears clear: The only person who died of the drug overdose is Priyamvada.
Cops were earlier certain that the two brothers carried out the three murders, hinting at strong legal action against them. A murder case has been lodged at Tangra PS. The cops on Friday reiterated that they would arrest the brothers the moment they are released from hospital.
“While Prasun’s confession is important, Pranay’s role as a key conspirator cannot be negated,” an investigating officer said. “He told us that he was weak-hearted and, hence, stayed away on another floor. But there is nothing so far that suggests that he was also not an equal conspirator. The suicide plan hatched on Feb 10 was initiated by Pranay. He reportedly broached the subject to his younger brother, citing their financial condition. He also brainwashed his son to join in the suicide bid while inside the car,” the officer added.
