Simantini Dey

A suicide note was found in the bag of Simantini Dey on Sunday, 11 days after she was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by her friends. The note gave a clean chit to her friends who were arrested on Friday and remanded in police custody.

Police said a vegetable vendor, Bimala Modak, handed the note over to Bauria police station on Sunday. She had picked up the brown bag on June 25 from the rail tracks near Phuleswar station, a few feet away from the spot where the body was found.

Niraj Kumar Singh, the superintendent of police (Howrah), said: “We got a red diary in the bag. A note was found in it, in which the 23-year-old cited family disputes, monetary problems and failure in love as the causes for her suicide. The note will be examined by a handwriting expert before we turn the case into one of suicide.”

The diary, Rs 23, some cosmetics, and three return tickets from Howrah to Phuleswar were found in the bag which was identified by her brother. It is clear from the dates of the tickets that Simantini had visited Phuleswar consecutively on June 21, 22 and 23.

But the ticket dated June 24, the day she died, was not found.

In the note, she allegedly accused her father of not earning enough to rear her and her brothers properly.

“It is clear from the writing that the girl got her friends to meet her demands. She also alleged that her father knew of her ways but never said anything. However, she landed in trouble after Sonu came to know of her habits,” said an officer of Shibpur police station.

Interrogation revealed that Sankar Mandal and Simantini had been to a bar on June 23. Sankar also said the mystery of her death would be solved after the red diary was found.

“It means Sankar knew Simantini was planning to commit suicide. We shall find out why he did not try to stop her,” said Singh. Sonu and Sankar are behind bars.