Man held in Bengal for murder; police probing cannibalism angle

Kolkata, Jan 12 Police in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district have arrested a man in connection with the murder of an unidentified person, with investigators claiming that during interrogation the accused confessed that he intended to consume the victim’s flesh.

The incident took place in the Kurshahat area under Dinhata in Cooch Behar district and has triggered panic among locals.

Police said on Monday that the identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained. The victim, who reportedly lived in a hut near a crematorium in the area, was found dead in a pond in Kurshahat.

After the body was recovered, it was noticed that there were cut marks on the neck and throat.

Following the recovery, police launched an investigation and arrested a youth identified as Firdous Alam.

Sources said the accused was allegedly intoxicated. Police claimed the accused murdered the unidentified person, took the body near water, cleaned it and hid it.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to the killing and admitted that he intended to eat parts of the body.

Dinhata SDPO Dhiman Mitra said: “The incident is extremely rare and serious. The accused committed the murder to consume human flesh. It is being considered a rare case of cannibalism.”

“The police received information about the accused from local sources, after which he was arrested. A thorough investigation is underway. More details will be shared later,” he said.

Police said the body was recovered on January 10 and the accused was arrested on Monday, after which a murder case was registered and an investigation was launched by the Dinhata Sahibganj police station.

During the probe, police arrested Alam, a resident of Tharaikhana village. He was produced before a district court on Monday, which remanded him to four days of police custody.

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