FB ‘friend’ turns killer: Parlour owner hacked to death; attacker slashes own neck outside shop

KOLKATA: A 50-year-old woman was hacked to death inside the beauty parlour she owned in Garia's Mahamayatala on Tuesday. The 44-year-old assailant, from either Haryana or Kashmir, was found dead outside the parlour. Police suspect he slashed his own neck after the murder and died by suicide. Preliminary probe points to a relationship gone sour.

Police said Rupbani Das reached the parlour in Tentultala at 12.05 pm. Her husband Anup dropped her there. A man, whom police identified as Pankaj, entered the parlour soon thereafter and heated words were exchanged between him and Rupbani.

An employee of the parlour said when the man, whom she had never seen before, entered, Rupbani asked him to leave. "Madam was angry and asked him to leave. But he refused. Soon, there was a loud argument. I immediately called up her family to alert them," she said.

Shortly thereafter, locals were alerted by a woman's screams from inside. Someone called Rupbani's residence. When her relatives arrived, they found her lying in a pool of blood with a deep gash in her neck. Blood was splattered all over the parlour, pointing to a violent struggle. Police arrived soon afterwards, recovered the bodies and sent them for postmortem.

Investigators said the victim and the assailant knew each other, having met on Facebook a few years ago. A friendship allegedly developed between the two. However, the relationship turned sour thereafter.

Rupbani's uncle Amarendra Das said the family was aware that the man was Rupbani's friend. He also claimed that about two months ago, she travelled with him to north India, either to Delhi or Haryana, reportedly with plans to expand her beauty parlour business.

"She returned a few days ago. We did not notice anything unusual in her behaviour. The murder is extremely shocking," he said.