The man from Uttar Pradesh, who lost his life in an explosion close to Madhyamgram railway station on Monday morning, was likely a spurned lover who persisted in his affections and travelled to Bengal for his friend, who was married and wished to end the relationship, police said on Tuesday.
The Bengal Special Task Force took up the case on Tuesday.
Sachindra Mishra, 25, is said to have met the woman on social media and befriended her. According to what the woman’s family told the police, Mishra had been to Madhyamgram on earlier occasions to meet her.
“The last time he had come, the family gifted him new clothes and amicably asked him to stay away from the woman. Everyone in her family was aware of him,” said an officer of the STF.
Mishra died in a low-intensity blast, possibly caused by mishandling of a device, early on Monday. The lone witness to the case, who was carrying the device, expired hours after the blast.
According to the police, Mishra reached Howrah station from Haryana on August 16 and stayed in the Madhyamgram area.
His father came to Calcutta on Tuesday to claim his body. He said that Mishra was working in a factory in Haryana and used to visit Bengal to meet a woman.
However, he said he was not aware how such an incident could happen.
The landlord of the house where the woman and her family live said Mishra had visited the house at least twice and stayed there.
“Her family knows everything about him. They had amicably settled the matter. But it seems the man did not give up on her,” said the landlord.
An unnatural death case has been started.
Initially, the police were exploring the angle of an attack, but with the details that emerged from the phone of the deceased, it appeared that the explosion was from a device that Mishra could be carrying.
The police said they were examining the woman and her husband to understand Mishra’s possible motive in visiting Bengal.
“We are not ruling out anything at present. A detailed probe has been launched,” said an officer attached to the probe.
