KOLKATA: A chilling tragedy unfolded in Kolkata when a high-speed car crash on EM Bypass led police to a horrific discovery—a home in Tangra where three women were found dead under mysterious circumstances. What initially seemed like a freak accident has now become a complex murder-suicide puzzle, with financial distress, cryptic last actions and an apparent suicide pact in play.
The chain of events began at 3.35am on Wednesday when a speeding sedan—carrying Prasun Dey (48), his younger brother Pranay Dey (44) and Pranay’s teenage son Pratip (14)—crashed into a pillar at 100 kmph near the Avishikta crossing. Miraculously, the three survived and were rushed to the hospital. But hours later, as Pranay lay in his hospital bed, he made a shocking revelation: three family members—his wife Sudeshna, sister-in-law Romi, and niece Priyamvada—were dead inside their home in Tangra.
A House of Death: Slashed wrists, poisoning suspicions
When police broke open the Dey residence’s main door, they found a grim sight. The three women were in separate rooms, bloodstains spread across multiple areas.
The autopsy report revealed chilling details—Romi and Sudeshna had their throats slit and wrists slashed, while Priyamvada, a 14-year-old schoolgirl, had bruises on her lips and near her nose, with froth at her mouth, suggesting poisoning.
However, forensic experts found no traces of toxins in the women’s bodies, deepening the mystery.
Joint CP (Crime & Traffic) Rupesh Kumar stated that Pranay confessed to a suicide pact: the family had laced payesh (a traditional Bengali dessert) with sedatives, intending to die together. Some also inflicted self-harm. While the women succumbed, the three men, instead of dying, took off in the car—potentially aiming for a fatal crash.
Financial ruin and cryptic last actions
Investigators suspect financial struggles may have pushed the Deys over the edge. Once affluent, their leather goods manufacturing and export business had suffered massive Covid-era losses. Their factory, Protective Leather Gloves Pvt Ltd, had seen dwindling manpower and anxious owners in recent months.
A day before the tragedy, the Deys’ factory saw unusual visitors—several “well-built men” loitered outside for over an hour, possibly creditors or debt collectors. That same evening, a business partner, Manoj Gupta, visited their home but received no response. CCTV footage later showed the Dey brothers leaving the house around 12:54 AM, appearing visibly distressed.
Murder or suicide? Police investigate the ‘what-ifs’
Despite Pranay’s suicide pact claim, police have not ruled out foul play. A murder complaint was filed by Romi’s father against unknown persons.
The crime scene only yielded one penknife, but experts suspect blunt force injuries as well. A forensic team, homicide squad, and mobile DNA unit have collected evidence from the house.
Police are now piecing together the missing hours between when the family ate the drugged dessert and when the crash occurred. While neighbors say the Deys rarely quarreled, the footage of Pranay appearing unsteady before leaving the house suggests he may have been under severe stress.
Once a prominent family in Kolkata’s business circles, the Deys owned multiple cars and a four-storey home. But behind the walls of their Tangra residence, a tragic secret was festering. Whether it was a well-planned group suicide or a desperate attempt to cover up a murder remains to be seen.