Man arrested in South Dinajpur for allegedly beheading wife with sharp weapon

A chilling incident has come to light at Gangarampur in West Bengal's South Dinajpur district. A man is accused of killing his wife with a sharp weapon and severing her head on Wednesday morning. Police have arrested the husband, the main suspect in the case. The gruesome incident has spread fear in the area.

According to local residents, the suspect, Rintu Ghosh (47), was sitting quietly in a temple in the village. A neighbour, suspecting something was wrong, went up to him and saw a shocking sight. Ghosh was holding the severed head of his wife, Seema Sarkar (42). On seeing this, the neighbour called other villagers. Ghosh then came out of the temple with his wife's head in one hand and a sickle-like farm blade in the other.

On receiving information, a police team reached the spot immediately. Police sealed off the entire area and took Ghosh into custody. Officials seized the woman's head and handed over the body to her family.

Abhishek Gupta, the district Superintendent of Police, said the accused had been arrested and that it was a deeply disturbing incident. Police said the preliminary investigation showed that the act took place inside the house, arising from a marital dispute. The couple have two children, aged five and twelve. Both children were in the house at the time of the killing. A sharp weapon used in the fields is alleged to have been used.

According to local residents and relatives, Ghosh earlier worked as a conductor on a government bus. After losing his job, he spent a great deal of time at home. Relatives said he had recently begun behaving very strangely. He had taken to a strict vegetarian diet and had started behaving in a manner "like tantra practice".

Police are investigating the case from all angles. They have said a chargesheet will be filed at the earliest.