Two days after the brutal murder of 18-year-old Ishita Mullik at her home in Krishnanagar town’s Manikpara, accused Deshraj Singh, her estranged fiancé, remained on the run.

Police recovered his abandoned mobile phone from Barakar near Asansol in West Burdwan on Wednesday.

Ishita was shot thrice in the head in her bedroom on Monday afternoon. Investigators believe Deshraj, her classmate at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kanchrapara, and roughly of the same age, left his phone behind in a calculated move before boarding the Uttar Pradesh-bound Bagh Express from Asansol early on Tuesday.

“He first took the Doon Express from Howrah, got off at Barakar and left his handset without switching it off. He actually did it to mislead cops about his actual escape route,” said a police officer.

The breakthrough came after cops tracked the IMEI number of Deshraj’s Android phone, which appeared stationary in Barakar.

Police sources said he had replaced his original SIM card a day before the murder to avoid being tracked.

After shooting Ishita, Deshraj purportedly called friends in North 24-Parganas for shelter. By then, the news of the murder was on TV and his friends refused to help him. He later contacted his mother and cousin, saying he planned to return home in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria Sadar.

Investigators believe that after leaving behind his phone at Barakar, he subsequently boarded the Kathgodam-bound Bagh Express from Asansol at 1.10am, which passes through his hometown Deoria Sadar.

“It appears that Deshraj fled to Deoria,” said an officer, adding they were probing the role of his relatives, especially his mother, in arranging his shelter. Deshraj used to stay with his mother in a rented house in Jethia-Dharampur, but she left for Deoria earlier this month.

“We are exploring all aspects, including the role of his family. No one is above suspicion now,” he added.

Investigators learnt that a few months ago Deshraj asked his father Raghubendra Pratap Singh, a BSF employee posted at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, for permission to marry Ishita. His father refused, advising him to focus on his career, which led to heated arguments, during which Deshraj threatened to commit suicide.

On Tuesday, however, his father had denied knowing about Ishita while talking to reporters over the phone.

The Barrackpore commissionerate is assisting Krishnanagar police in examining Deshraj’s recent call records.

This is being done to identify contacts who might have helped or were helping Deshraj before and after the crime.

The police are also trying to trace the source of the gun, which they suspect was procured from the Bijpur-Bhatpara belt in Barrackpore.

“We have examined Deshraj’s recent contacts and identified some suspicious numbers, which might offer a breakthrough,” an officer said.

The murder sparked outrage in Krishnanagar grappling with an emerging
gun culture.

Residents said the murder highlighted worsening law and order in the town with at least seven incidents of firing linked to gang rivalry in the town over the past seven months, most of them in densely populated residential areas.

Ishita’s murder in Manikpara — a locality with top district officials, including the district magistrate and the police superintendent — has shocked residents.

“If a person managed to escape freely after committing a crime like murder in a so-called highly secure place like Manikpara, the other places of the town can be termed as open fields for crime,” said a resident, accusing the police of lax surveillance.

BJP spokesperson and Krishnagar resident Sandeep Majumdar said: “Lawlessness has become the focal point of the town. We are living on a stockpile of arms. Crimes are being committed one after another, but the police are not arresting criminals. That’s why crime is growing unchecked without fear of law.”

The Trinamool Congress leadership is also concerned. Several leaders, while not coming on record, admitted to being worried about their personal safety and wanted the police to take a tougher stand on crimes in the town.

A senior police officer, however, dismissed these concerns as exaggerated.

“Every incident is being probed properly and all steps are being taken to ensure safety of residents. Many arms have also been recovered,” the officer said.

This is being done to identify contacts who might have helped or were helping Deshraj before and after the crime.

The police are also trying to trace the source of the gun, which they suspect was procured from the Bijpur-Bhatpara belt in Barrackpore.

“We have examined Deshraj’s recent contacts and identified some suspicious numbers, which might offer a breakthrough,” an officer said.

The murder sparked outrage in Krishnanagar grappling with an emerging gun culture. Residents said the murder highlighted worsening law and order in the town with at least seven incidents of firing linked to gang rivalry in the town over the past seven months, most of them in densely populated residential areas.

Ishita’s murder in Manikpara — a locality with top district officials, including the district magistrate and the police superintendent — has shocked residents.

“If a person managed to escape freely after committing a crime like murder in a so-called highly secure place like Manikpara, the other places of the town can be termed as open fields for crime,” said a resident, accusing the police of lax surveillance.

BJP spokesperson and Krishnagar resident Sandeep Majumdar said: “Lawlessness has become the focal point of the town. We are living on a stockpile of arms. Crimes are being committed one after another, but the police are not arresting criminals. That’s why crime is growing unchecked without fear of law.”The Trinamool Congress leadership is also concerned. Several leaders, while not coming on record, admitted to being worried about personal safety and wanted the police to take a tougher stance.

A senior police officer, however, dismissed the concerns as exaggerated.

“Every incident is being probed and all steps are being taken to ensure safety. Many arms have also been recovered,” he said.