Muzaffarpur: A retired Punjab National Bank (PNB) cashier and his wife were found brutally murdered at their residence in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district after their son, a software engineer working in Karnataka, noticed suspicious activity on the home’s CCTV cameras and alerted a neighbour.
The victims have been identified as Ashok Kunwar, a retired PNB cashier, and his wife Neelam Kunwar. Police said Ashok suffered more than 10 stab wounds, while Neelam was found on the second floor with her hands and legs tied to a bed, adhesive tape covering her mouth, and a cloth tightened around her neck.
Son Raised Alarm After Watching CCTV
The incident first came to light when the couple’s son, Dr. Nikhil Kumar, who works at a software company in Mangaluru, Karnataka, accessed the CCTV cameras connected to his mobile phone. He noticed suspicious individuals moving inside the house and saw his mother running towards the terrace.
Concerned after repeated calls to his parents went unanswered, Nikhil contacted his neighbour, Amit Kumar, popularly known as “Chiku”, asking him to immediately check on the family.
“When I saw three to four people running in the CCTV footage and my mother’s movement towards the terrace, I sensed something was terribly wrong. Both my parents’ phones were switched off,” Nikhil said.
Neighbour Discovers Bodies
The neighbour reached the house with another tenant carrying a torch after noticing darkness inside the building. On entering the first-floor bedroom, they found Ashok Kunwar lying face down on the bed in a pool of blood, with blood splattered across the room.
Following Nikhil’s request to check the upper floor, they found Neelam Kunwar’s body tied to the bed with ropes. Her mouth had been sealed with wide adhesive tape, and a cloth was wrapped tightly around her neck. The police were immediately informed.
New Tenant Emerges as Prime Suspect
Muzaffarpur Police said preliminary investigations indicate that two suspects had entered the house posing as tenants two days before the murders.
A young man who rented a room on the second floor on July 18 has emerged as the prime suspect. Police said he has been missing since the incident, and Neelam Kunwar’s body was recovered from the room he had rented.
Investigators suspect the accused may have planned the murders in advance after gaining access to the house under the guise of tenants.
Missing Phones May Hold Key Evidence
Police said the mobile phones of both victims are missing from the crime scene and could contain crucial evidence. A technical team has been deployed to trace the devices, while CCTV footage from the house and nearby areas is being examined.
Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) experts revisited the crime scene on Tuesday to collect additional evidence.
Investigators also recovered pieces of rope believed to have been used to tie Neelam Kunwar and gloves from the house, suggesting the assailants may have come prepared with murder weapons and other materials.
Victim Had Recently Undergone Major Surgery
Speaking to reporters after reaching Muzaffarpur, Nikhil said his father had recently undergone major liver surgery after being diagnosed with an infection. He had also previously undergone bypass surgery and had been recovering over the past few months.
Nikhil said he tried to book a flight from Bengaluru immediately after learning about the incident but could only reach Muzaffarpur on Tuesday.
Family Says There Was No Personal Enmity
The couple’s daughter, Geeta, said her father had no known disputes with anyone and was meticulous about verifying documents before renting out rooms.
Family members suspect the accused may have taken away their identification documents while fleeing.
Ashok Kunwar retired from Punjab National Bank in 2014 after serving in multiple branches and was widely known in the locality as “Cashier Sahab.”
SIT Formed to Probe the Case
Given the seriousness of the crime, Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kantesh Kumar Mishra has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under City SP Mohibullah Ansari.
Police said all tenants are being verified, while investigators are examining every possible angle, including robbery, property disputes and other motives. CCTV footage, forensic evidence and technical analysis are being used to reconstruct the sequence of events.
The bodies were handed over to the family after post-mortem examination and later taken to the couple’s native village in Gayghat block for their last rites.
Police said the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are underway to trace the absconding suspect and establish the exact motive behind the double murder.
