Police in Krishnanagar police on Saturday made a breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of Ishita Mullik by her classmate Deshraj Singh, with the first arrest in the case that has shocked the people in the town.

A team of Krishnanagar police arrested Kuldeep Singh, 43, the maternal uncle of accused Deshraj, on charges of aiding his escape and providing shelter.

Kuldeep, a resident of Deoria, Uttar Pradesh, was picked up from a hideout in Jamnagar in Gujarat on Saturday, where he had fled after police discovered his involvement.

He was produced before a local court there, which granted a four-day transit remand.

On Sunday morning, he was flown to Dum Dum airport and from there taken to Krishnanagar for questioning. “He is being interrogated now for details of his involvement,” a senior police officer said.

He will be produced in a court in the town on Monday, officials said.

Investigators revealed that after killing Ishita on August 25 at her Manikpara home in Krishnagar, Deshraj fled the next day to Deoria via Howrah–Barakar–Asansol.

As police closed in, Kuldeep allegedly stepped in to arrange travel tickets, lodging, and other logistics to help him evade arrest.

In an official statement, the Krishnanagar police authorities said: “Evidence of assistance by Kuldeep Singh in escape of Deshraj Singh is found.”

In a parallel development, a police team has gone to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, to interrogate Deshraj’s father, Raghvendra Pratap Singh, a BSF jawan, in connection with
the murder.

The police have already approached BSF authorities for permission to question him.

Sources said that based on his “quite suspicious role” and several “inconsistencies in statement”, an arrest warrant has been issued before the team’s visit.

“There are several inconsistencies in his statement which need to be clarified and if required he would be arrested,” a police officer said.

According to investigators, Deshraj’s father is not the only family member under
suspicion.

“None of his (Deshraj) family members are beyond suspicion. So there may be other family members of him who could be arrested as well,” an officer added.

Several relatives are already under the police scanner for allegedly suppressing information and aiding his escape.

The police are also probing the possibility that Deshraj might have crossed over to Nepal, a scenario they said cannot be ruled out.

On August 25, Deshraj allegedly stormed into Ishita’s bedroom on the first floor of her Manikpara residence and shot her three times in the head with a 7mm pistol, killing her instantly.

Ishita’s apparent “fault”, as the police said, was her decision to break off the relationship, reject his marriage proposal and sever all ties with him.

Eighteen-year-old Ishita had grown close to her classmate Deshraj, reportedly of the same age, when they were classmates in Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kanchrapara. However, multiple sources — her relatives and their common friends — said that recently she had decided to break off with him because he had a short fuse. Sources also said that Deshraj took the rejection very badly.