Malda, Aug. 30: Three murders in the district in the past 24 hours have kept police on their toes.

CPM zonal committee member Tetli Mondal, 55, was stabbed in her sleep last night at her house in Sonpur village in the Manikchak police station area.

Malda police chief Dilip Mondal ruled out any political angle to the murder.

“It is the fallout of a land dispute with her neighbours. She was alone at home when the murder took place. Five persons have been arrested,” he said.

The headless body of Bablu Mondal, 27, was found under a culvert in Dantunipara village in the Bamulgola police station area this morning. He was the driver of a van rickshaw.

Bablu had gone out as usual with his vehicle yesterday, but did not return home. Officer-in-charge of the police station Atreyee Sen said it appeared that Bablu had been murdered somewhere else and his body dumped under the culvert. The van rickshaw could not be located. His body bore multiple wounds. No arrest could be made till late in the evening.

Sundar Hembram, 38, of Niyamatpur village in Habibpur police station area was murdered by his nephew Srimanta Hembram.

The police said Srimanta was mentally disturbed. He hacked his uncle to death from behind while he was sitting in his house yesterday afternoon. Srimanta has been arrested.

In Balurghat, Padmarani Barman of Nimpur village in the Tapan police station area died of her burns today. She had been set on fire by her lover Siddique Mondal five days ago.

The 19-year-old, who had recently discovered she was pregnant, was under treatment at the Balurghat district hospital. Police have so far not been able to trace her lover. The girl’s mother had lodged a written complaint against Mondal.