CHENNAI: A special police team has arrested the prime suspect in connection with the murder of a woman whose dismembered body parts were found inside an unclaimed suitcase on a Tamil Nadu Express at Agra railway station. The accused, identified as Manik Uddin Laskar (22), was arrested in Manipur and brought to Chennai by train. He is currently being interrogated at the Guduvanchery police station.
Another woman suspect, identified as Bhagawati Maju, who is suspected to be involved in the murder, remains at large. Police have intensified the search for her. Meanwhile, efforts are also under way to recover the victim's head, which has not yet been traced.
According to police, the incident came to light on August 5 when the Tamil Nadu Express, travelling from Chennai Central to New Delhi, stopped at Agra railway station. Railway police found an unclaimed suitcase containing the dismembered body parts of a woman in one of the coaches.
Following the discovery, the Agra Railway Police registered a case and began an investigation. Special teams were subsequently formed in coordination with the Chennai City Police and Tambaram City Police after clues pointed to Chennai.
During the investigation, police found polythene bags bearing the name of a popular textile shop in Chennai inside the suitcase. CCTV footage collected from railway stations reportedly showed a man and a woman, leading investigators to focus their probe on the Chennai suburbs.
Further inquiries revealed that the murder had allegedly taken place at a tiled-roof house near Mosque Street in Guduvanchery, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Tambaram City Police.
Police broke open the lock of the house and conducted a detailed search. Investigators found that three persons from Odisha a man and two women had been staying at the house.
According to the investigation, the victim's body had been dismembered and the remains were allegedly placed in a large vessel, mixed with maida and tied to a ceiling fan. The circumstances surrounding the disposal of the body are being investigated.
As the murder occurred in Guduvanchery, the Agra Railway Police requested the local police to register a separate murder case. The Guduvanchery police subsequently registered the case and formed special teams to track down the suspects.
The team eventually traced Manik Uddin Laskar to Manipur and arrested him. He was brought to Chennai by train and is now being questioned by police to establish the circumstances leading to the murder and the involvement of other suspects.
Police are also continuing their search for Bhagawati Maju, who allegedly fled the area after the incident.
With the victim's head still missing, another team is conducting searches at various locations to recover it. Further investigation is under way to establish the identity of the deceased and determine the exact motive behind the murder.