Police said Samir used to bring women to Srabonti’s house in the absence of her family members. He used to pay her Rs 500 for using the premises. In his confession statement, Samir allegedly said he had physical relations with both Somasree and Srabonti. “These statements have added a new dimension to our investigations,” said Howrah SP Niraj Kumar Singh.

Samir told the police that he had a relationship with Somasree, a married woman, for more than a year and it was she who had introduced Srabonti to him. Samir said Srabonti had a camera phone and she had taken pictures of him in compromising positions. “She photographed me with Somasree and started blackmailing us. So, we decided to kill her,” the police quoted him as saying.

On February 26, the day the twin murders took place, Samir and Srabonti met at Phoolbagan in Jagacha and then went to Srabonti’s place and asked for the mobile phone. As she refused to hand it over, Samir strangled her. Her daughter, who was sleeping inside, woke up suddenly and saw them killing her mother. Somasree smothered her with a pillow, police said.