Bengal: Mother kills children, hangs herself after dispute with husband

Kolkata, Sep 29 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a mother killed her two children and took her own life in West Bengal's Malda district. The incident took place on Monday, the first day of Durga Puja. Following the development, a pall of gloom has descended in Old Malda in Malda district.

According to the police, the mother strangled her 7-year-old son and 6-month-old daughter to death, and then committed suicide by hanging herself. The mother has been identified as Rupali Haldar (28). The deceased son's name is Ayan Haldar.

On receiving the information, the officers from Malda police station went to the spot and recovered the three bodies. Later, all three bodies were sent for an autopsy.

According to police sources, Rupali and her husband Asit Halder had been living in Gangarampur, her father's house in neighbouring South Dinajpur district. There have been constant fights between the husband and wife for three to four months.

On Sunday, the night of Shasthi, when Rupali's husband Asit wanted to see Durga Puja with his son, his wife objected. That started another fight between them.

Later, the housewife fell asleep in her own room with her two children. Her husband went to sleep in another room. Locals said when Rupali did not wake up even after 10 am on Monday, the people of the house became suspicious. Then they broke down the door only to find that there were three dead bodies.

A senior officer of Malda district police said, "The bodies of two children were lying on the bed, and Rupali's body was hanging from the ceiling fan. Our officers recovered the bodies. They have been sent for an autopsy. The woman's husband, Asit Halder, has been arrested."

Tarun Haldar, the father-in-law of the woman, told media persons, "There was a dispute between my son and his wife at night about taking my grandson for a walk. The daughter-in-law stopped my son. She said she would not send my grandson for a walk with my son. There was a dispute over that. This morning, we are shocked to see this."

--IANS

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