Kolkata shocker: Bedridden man bludgeoned to death by brother over property dispute

KOLKATA: A 28-year-old bedridden man was found bludgeoned to death at his home around noon on Sunday. The house too was found ransacked with gold ornaments and other costly items, worth Rs 1.5 lakh, missing from the almirahs.Cops said the victim’s elder brother has been arrested for murdering the 28-year-old following a property dispute and desperation over the victim — bedridden since 2017 after an accident — ‘hurtling the family into a financial crisis following repeated surgeries’. “He then threw away items around the room to make it look like a robbery,” an officer said.The victim has been identified as Balaram Rajbanshi, who underwent a brain surgery a few days ago. The incident was reported from near the Charigram Sri Ramkrishna Ashram Adarsha Balika Vidyalaya in Raghunathpur area of Teghoria under Baguiati PS.Police said that around 12.50 pm, Balaram was found lying in a pool of blood on his bed with severe injuries on his forehead. Cops said he was found unconscious on his bed by his mother who had just returned from work. “He had reportedly been bedridden following a surgery. Police immediately reached the spot. The room was found open, the almirahs unlocked, and clothes and other articles scattered on the floor. A lacerated injury was noticed on the deceased’s scalp,” said cops.“During probe, we found that his elder brother, Krishna Rajbanshi (33), had murdered him over a property dispute and attempted to portray the incident as theft. The accused has confessed to have committed the crime. He will be produced in a court on Monday with a prayer for police custody,” said a senior officer of Bidhannagar Police. The body has been sent to R G Kar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem.According to police and family, the incident occurred between 8 am and noon. Balaram, who could barely recognise family members and communicate with them, was alone at home alongside their pet dog, a mongrel, after his family members left for their daily work in the morning. The victim’s mother works as a domestic help, while his father runs a fish trade. His brother, the accused Krishna, worked as a food delivery agent.The family was trying to complete the construction of their two-storey house. While the first floor was nearing completion, money constraints stopped the work on the first floor. Krishna got married a little over a year ago and his wife was staying with her own family as she had conceived recently.To prevent the pet dog from raising an alarm, the accused had locked the animal inside an adjacent room.Family members, led by the accused Krishna, initially alleged that approximately Rs 1.5 lakh in cash, alongside gold ornaments and other high-value personal belongings, was looted. “The accused hit his brother repeatedly and bludgeoned him on the head at the exact spots where he had stitches from the operation to ensure a quick death,” said an officer.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in KolkataStay updated with the latest Kolkata news. Download the TOI App.