Mystery surrounding Dr Sarita’s murder deepens, colleague arrested

The mystery surrounding the sensational murder case of Dr Sarita Tosniwal deepened today following the arrest of another postgraduate doctor of the Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH). Dr Deep Moni Saikia, a senior colleague of the deceased, was picked up by the police last night for interrogation.

Satisfied with the circumstantial evidence gathered during the investigation as well as the statement provided by the arrested ward boy, Kiru Mech, the police formally arrested Dr Saikia today. However, the arrested doctor, who hails from Kachu Gaon of Nagaon District, has denied his involvement in the crime.

Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police Rana Bhuyan, accompanied by Additional S.P (Security), Hiranya Barman, DSP Longnit Terang and Officer–in–Charge of Dibrugarh Sadar Police Station, Naba Kumar Bora, briefed mediapersons here at Dibrugarh Sadar Police Station today and confirmed the arrest of Dr Saikia.

The SP told mediapersons that Dr. Sarita’s death was a pre–planned cold–blooded murder carried out by Dr Saikia and the ward boy. “Dr Saikia and Kiru Mech had made the blueprint of the murder almost a month back. The duo had tried to kill Dr Sarita on April 24 last but could not carry out their plan due to the presence of many patients,” the SP said.

He further said, “We had received the information of Dr Sarita’s murder at 8 am on May 9 and upon receipt of the information, we had immediately rushed to the Gynecology ward of AMCH. Within two hours of our preliminary investigation, we had picked up the ward boy, Kiru Mech, on suspicion. Later on, during a marathon interrogation session, Mech confessed that he had strangulated the doctor while she was napping at the doctor’s cabin in the ICU. He had slit her neck by a surgical blade to ensure her death. Kiru was produced before the session court the next day and he was remanded to police custody for five days.”

Rana Bhuyan said that Kiru Mech, during the interrogation, had broken down and revealed a startling fact. He confessed before the police that he had committed the crime at the instruction of Dr Deep Moni Saikia. ‘The revelation of the ward boy was video taped in the presence of an Additional Deputy Commissioner,” Naba Bora said.

Narrating how he carried out the crime before the media, Mech showed no remorse and said that he had killed her at the instruction of Dr Saikia. “I did it because Dr Saikia had promised to help me get a permanent appointment in AMCH and to save me from all the hassles of court and police harassment,” Mech said.

“After our first attempt on April 24 failed, Dr Saikia asked me to complete the task by May 9 without any fail,’ he revealed. As per their plan, Dr Deep Moni Saikia was absent from duty on the night of the murder. “He met me at 6.10 am on the fateful day when I went to submit the duty book to the matron’s office,” the ward boy said. He also mentioned that Dr Saikia had enquired about the prevailing situation in the ward and had promised that he would come to help him in the task.

“I returned to the ward and entered the ICU room where Dr Sarita was sleeping. Dr Saikia had entered the unit wearing white gloves. He held Dr Sarita’s legs while I strangulated her,” he said.

Hearing the cry of Dr Sarita, an attendant of one of the patients rushed to the doctor’s duty room to find out what was happening but finding the door closed from inside, returned without making any further queries, Mech claimed.

“Both of us pulled the body to the ground fearing that the attendant may see us but I kept the pressure on her neck constant throughout,” he said, adding, “We later pulled the body on top of the bed and covered it with a blanket. Dr Saikia immediately left the ward through the back door attached to the National Rural Health Mission ward.”

The ward boy further confessed that he slit the doctor’s neck with a surgical blade to ensure that she was really dead.

The SP further stated that the police had recovered late Dr Sarita’s mobile phone from the residence of Kiru’s father–in–law at Bongalgaon. “Thorough examination of the call list of Dr Sarita’s mobile also revealed that Dr Deep Moni Saikia had made a few calls to her recently which she did not respond,” Bhuyan said.

Answering a query, the SP said that both the arrested persons had maintained a good relationship with each other. “Dr Saikia had not only assured Mech of making his job permanent but had also taught him how to do all para– medical jobs,” he said.

The police are exploring other angles behind the murder case and are hopeful of reaching to a conclusion after the interrogation of Dr Deep Moni Saikia. Dr Saikia was produced before the session court today and he was sent to police remand for a week.

Meanwhile, at the instance of the All Assam Medical Teachers’ Association request and principal–in–charge Dr N Uppadhayaya’s efforts, the students and junior doctors of AMCH called off their agitation from today. The students and junior doctors returned to their respective jobs from today wearing black badges on the shoulders till their all demands are fulfilled. However a wide section of the medicos feel its a framed story so as to force them to break their agitation.