KOLKATA: A pool of blood, scratch marks on a woman’s neck and frantic cries for help — a series of disturbing details have emerged after a 25-year-old software engineer was found dead in a rented flat in Kolkata’s Garia.The victim’s live-in partner ran out of the flat crying for help in the early hours of Sunday. Her mother, who also lived with the couple, is now being questioned by police over her alleged role in the incident.A resident of Barasat, Sarthak worked as a software engineer at a company in Salt Lake’s Sector V. He had been staying in a rented flat at Fartabad in Garia with Sanchalika, his girlfriend and live-in partner. Her mother, Moumita, also lived with them.The victim, Sarthak Sarkar, was allegedly attacked with a sharp weapon following a heated argument on Saturday night.His girlfriend, Sanchalika, and her mother, Moumita, have been arrested in connection with his death.What happened on Saturday night?Preliminary police investigations suggest that an argument broke out between Sarthak and Sanchalika over an issue late on Saturday night. During the altercation, Sanchalika allegedly attacked him with a sharp weapon, striking him on the shoulder.He was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police are investigating what triggered the argument and whether Moumita was involved in the alleged attack.Scratch marks on woman’s neck; neighbours heard argumentThe incident came to light around 1.30am on Sunday. Neighbours who responded to the woman’s cries for help found Sarthak lying in a pool of blood. They also noticed several scratch marks on her neck.“We were still awake when we heard a woman crying and asking for help. We immediately rushed to the flat and found a young man lying in a pool of blood on the bed. The woman who had sought our help had several scratch marks on her neck. We immediately informed the police,” said Sayan Pal, a Garia resident.Pal said some residents of the building had heard a heated argument and loud noises coming from the flat shortly before the incident.Another resident, Arkojeet Basu, said the couple had been living in the locality for some time but rarely interacted with neighbours.“They did not mix much with people in the neighbourhood. We were shocked to learn about the incident in the morning,” he said.What led to the fatal altercation?Baruipur police district superintendent of police Aravind Kumar Anand said the investigation was at a preliminary stage and the roles of both women were being examined.“The woman and her mother’s roles in the incident are being examined. The exact weapon used in the attack will be established after questioning.”Police are questioning the two women to establish the motive behind the alleged murder. The circumstances leading to the fatal altercation and Moumita’s alleged involvement are still being investigated.
