Shampa Das at Alipore court. Picture by Sanat Kumar Sinha

Calcutta, May 3: The crime that led to Nilima Gangopadhyay’s murder was plotted by her maid who did not know the family’s valuables were kept safely away in a bank locker and whose penchant to steal was overlooked by the 86-year-old lady because of “emotional attachment”, police and her son said today.

The Dhakuria resident was battered to death last night for almost nothing.

An inexpensive camera, a transistor, some bank documents and Rs 950 in cash were found on Shampa Das, the maid, and three accomplices, who were arrested today.

Gangopadhyay’s son Goutam told the police that Shampa had been caught stealing several times. “I had repeatedly told my mother to sack her but she wouldn’t listen, saying she was emotionally attached to her.”

The quartet told the police they wanted to steal Gangopadhyay’s jewellery and other valuables, but they were in a bank locker.

They four claimed their intention was not to kill the elderly lady. “They said they only wanted to make her unconscious while they pocketed valuables, jewellery and a good amount of cash,” an officer said.

The woman was gagged and bludgeoned to death when her son was not home. She was found lying in a pool of blood, the back of her head smashed with an iron rod.

“We picked up Shampa Das from her home in the Panchanantala railway colony. She confessed to having masterminded the crime,” said Praveen Kumar, superintendent of police, South 24-Parganas.

Shampa’s accomplices Kele Adhikary, Raja Adhikary and Munia Moira — all in their early 20s — are also residents of the railway colony.

Shampa told the police that when she left Gangopadhyay’s rented flat around 3pm yesterday, she kept the backdoor open.

Around 5pm, Shampa and her accomplices slipped into the house through that door. When Gangopadhyay saw them, she sensed trouble and began screaming for help.

Raja and Munia rushed to gag her, while Kele hit her with an iron rod. Then they opened an almirah and took away whatever they could lay their hands on.

Shampa was produced in Alipore court today and remanded in police custody till May 6. The other three will be produced in court tomorrow.

Although Gangopadhyay had guarded herself against theft by keeping all her valuables in a bank locker, there were still a few loose ends, SP Kumar said.

“There are two things the lady should have done: first, she should have provided us with the domestic help’s address and let her know that she had done so. This may have acted as a deterrent. Second, when she knew that this girl had committed petty thefts, she should have dispensed with her services a long time ago. Especially since her son had been pestering her to do so.”

DOS AND DON’TS

Submit details of your domestic help with a photograph to local police station even if he or she has been working for a decade

Keep an eye on your servant’s movements and the company he or she keeps

When your domestic help is on leave, don’t appoint a substitute without verifying identity

If a servant returns from leave accompanied by a stranger, do not allow him or her to stay in your house without informing police

Be on guard if your domestic help’s behaviour undergoes a dramatic change suddenly