The police suspect the domestic help, Kishan Bhagaria (21), behind the murder, as he has been missing since the incident was discovered.

“Kishan stayed in the flat for over an hour after the murder. We are quite certain that Kishan murdered Usha Chokhani. After preliminary investigation, we think that money was the motive behind the murder,” said Rajesh Subarna, Deputy Commissioner (South). “Only after his arrest, the exact motive behind the murder can be determined,” Subarna added.

Police got the information about Kishan’s hometown from Pawan Jadav, who worked as a domestic help near Chokhani’s house.

According to the police, Kishan had worked for a week at the victim’s apartment in Wallace Gardens at Mandeville Gardens.

Chokhani was found lying in a pool of blood by her sister Rekha Bagharia on Monday afternoon. Bagharia lives in Sunny Park, south Kolkata.

The fifty-four-year-old woman was a divorcee and lived alone in her flat in the posh south Kolkata locality. She also ran a small garment manufacturing unit. Police said not too many people visited Chokhani.