Tripura: Man kills wife, mother-in-law over social media post

A 51-year-old man in Tripura has allegedly killed his wife and mother-in-law following an altercation that happened over pictures posted on social media by his spouse, the police said on Sunday.

The accused has been identified as Samarjit Chowdhury, a poultry farm owner. The incident occurred on Sunday at Hapania on the outskirts of Agartala.

He was arrested by the police from Madhupur in the neighbouring Sepahijala district.

A police officer said that Samajit's wife -- Tanushree Acherjee and her mother Soma Acherjee -- returned to their home in Hapania late on Saturday night after puja pandal hopping.

"Tanushree had posted photographs on Facebook with two male friends during puja pandal hopping. Seeing the photographs, Samarjit (husband) got furious and hatched a plan to kill her wife (Tanushree). Samarjit rushed to his father-in-law's house in Hapania and killed his wife with a 'dao' (a sharp-edged weapon). When Soma tried to protect Tanushree, Samarjit also killed Soma with the same weapon," a police officer told the media, adding both women died on the spot.

Soma and Samarjit had been living separately after the former filed for divorce against her husband one-and-a-half years ago. The couple's two sons stayed with Samarjit in Madhupur.

"After Tanushree filed the divorce case early last year against Samarjit she lived with her parental home at Hapania. There was no communication between them, even over phone, for a long time," the police official said.

The police on Sunday recovered the bodies, found in a pool of blood, and sent for post-mortem examination.

West Tripura District Superintendent Police Kiran Kumar K. said that the investigation is underway and the accused would be presented at a court to seek his police custody.

The horrifying crime has sent shockwaves among the people across the state which was in the midst of 5-day-long Durga Puja festivities.