A 5th semester student of KC Das College, who had topped the 12th standard boards of the state in 2015, was allegedly killed and burnt within 4 hours of finishing her exams on 4th December 2017.
According to the confessions made to the police by Govind Singhal, the boyfriend, a police source said, “Govind Singhal contacted Sweta at around 12.14 pm.” He added that she was killed at 2 pm accidently, and burnt by around 4.15 pm.
The source said that according to the confession, Govind was at Chandmari flyover at 12.14 pm.
Travelling through a massive traffic jam, Govind reached Chatribari at 12.45 pm and both went to Govind’s house located at JP Agarwal Road, Bharalumukh.
Reaching Govind’s house 15 minutes later the two, for the next half an hour were having tea and discussing various issues. At 1.45 pm a heated argument erupted between them. The argument went on to become a scuffle.
At 2 pm Govind banged Sweta’s head on the wall and she collapsed. She started bleeding from her head and Govind panicked, said the police source.
Commissioner of Police Hiren Nath said, “Govind tried waking Sweta up but she was not reacting,” adding that her body was then taken to the bathroom where Govind poured water on her even as she continued to bleed. Govind thought she was dead according to his confession, Nath said.
Between 2 pm and 2.45 pm, Govind packed her body in a sack and tried disposing it off. He carried the body on his bike and even reached the Bharalumukh sluice gate. He was apprehensive that if he disposed the body there he could get caught.
He returned home with the body and reached before 3 pm where he kept the body in the bathroom.
A Bharalumukh police source said, “According to the confession and the evidences collected, Govind’s sister, Bhawani Singhal, reached the house at 3 pm. The sister, after getting to know the facts, informed their mother Kamala Singhal who rushed to the spot as well.”
The trio (Govind, his sister and mother) then decided to cook up a different story.
Between 3 pm and 4 pm, the trio tried destroying the evidences, poured kerosene on Sweta’s body and tried to burn it.
By 4.15 pm Sweta’s body was burnt. At around 5 pm Govind’s sister called the police and informed that there was a burnt dead body lying inside the bathroom of their residence.
From the confession made by Govind as narrated by police sources, Sweta met with her gruesome death within 4 hours of being contacted by her boyfriend.
From exam to death – the Timeline
12.14 pm – Govind contacted Sweta after her exams
12.45 pm – Both met near Chatribari
1.10 pm – Both reached Govind’s house located at Bharalumukh
1.20 pm – Started having tea and various discussions
1.50 pm - Govind banged Sweta’s head on wall
2.00 pm – Sweta died according to the confession of Govind
2.15 – Govind started packing Sweta’s body in a gunny bag
2.30 – Govind tried disposing the body and carried it till the sluice gate but returned
2.50 – Govind returned to his house with the body
3. 00 pm – Govind’s sister reached the spot
3.40 - Govind’s mother reached the spot
4.00 pm – The trio decided to burn the body
4.15 pm – Sweta Agarwal was totally burnt
5.00 pm - Police was informed by Govind’s sister
Govind is very possessive: Police
Police revealed that both Sweta Agarwal and Govind Singhal started having differences mainly because of Govind’s possessiveness. Commissioner of Police, Hiren Nath said, “Sweta was very good in her studies while Govind failed in the last exams,” adding that Sweta took up a coaching class without Govind which irked him.
Since February 2016 both were into a relationship as both were pursuing their chartered accountancy (CA) articleships together in a CA firm, said Nath.
In February 2016, Govind had proposed to her. Sweta accepted the proposal in May 2016, said a police source claiming Govind has confessed to all these issues.
Govind was even upset when Sweta recently visited Shillong with her family. Hiren Nath said that Govind was mostly affected when Sweta started going for a coaching class without him.
Govind’s family was planning to shift to Siliguri which was another reason for the quarrel.
Police collecting evidence carefully
The police are being very careful about the evidence that they are collecting and claimed that they will file the charge sheet soon.
A police source said, “Police is collecting both actual and circumstantial evidence very carefully.”
To make sure that the accused do not change their version in the court, police is collecting all the evidence and preserving the details, said a Bharalumukh police source.
The statements of Govind and his sister and mother are not exactly matching, so the interrogation is ongoing.
The ante mortem and post mortem reports will help the investigation, said Hiren Nath.
The police was not able to find Sweta’s mobile. Police even used drones to check if other possessions were disposed off in the Bharalu River near the sluice gate.
The police have already received the post mortem report, according to the source. Forensic science laboratory report is awaited.
Meanwhile various organisations are seeking fast track trial in the case and demanding justice.
Parents, teachers equally responsible for such incidents: KC Das College Principal
Slamming the parents and teachers for not giving importance to the students, the Principal of KC Das College, Ghanashyam Nath, said that the students do not stay within limits these days.
Nath said, “The girl made a mistake by going to her friend’s house,” adding that it is a mistake by both the girl and the boy, parents and even teachers.
Nath said, “We are too liberal these days,” adding that students should adhere to some discipline which is not the case these days.
According to the principal, Sweta was a very good student and could have contributed to the society and it is a tragedy that she is no more. But he said that as the parents and teachers (including him) do not give enough time to the students, the students do not know what to do.
According to him, the students should be admonished and beaten if required, which does not happen these days.
If a father scolds his child, even he might a face a legal action these days, said Nath.
He said that after Sweta’s murder, he will ensure that 75% attendance is made mandatory in the college. If not observed the students will have to face strict action.
Finally, Nath said that unless parents and teachers are not scared to take action against students to show them the correct path, they will keep choosing the wrong path.