College girl shot dead at home in Krishnagar, 500m from SP office
The Statesman | 26 August 2025
In a brazen daylight crime that has shaken Nadia district, a 19-year-old college student was shot dead inside her home at Manikpara in Krishnagar on Monday afternoon—barely 500 metres from the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP).
The victim has been identified as Isha Mallik (19). According to police and local sources, Isha had just finished bathing and was in her room when the assailant entered. Minutes later, her mother, returning from Kendriya Vidyalaya with Isha’s younger brother, entered the house and reportedly saw a young man rushing out. Inside, she found her daughter lying in a pool of blood.
The suspect has been identified as Debraj Singh, a youth from Kanchrapara. The motive behind the killing remains unclear. A case of murder has been registered and a police manhunt is underway.
Senior officers, including DSP Shilpi Pal, rushed to the spot along with a forensic team. A large police contingent has been deployed in the locality as residents expressed alarm that such a crime could occur in the administrative heart of the district. The offices of the district magistrate and several senior officials are located in the same vicinity.
“This is shocking. If a girl can be killed in broad daylight so close to the SP’s office, how safe are the rest of us?” asked a local resident, voicing the anxiety that has gripped Krishnagar.
Police said they were examining CCTV footage from the area and questioning neighbours for leads on the suspect’s movements. While officials declined to speculate on the motive, investigators are not ruling out the possibility of a personal dispute.
The killing has sparked doubts about the state of law and order in the town. The proximity of the crime scene to the police headquarters has been widely noted, with opposition leaders already criticising the administration for what they described as a “complete breakdown of security.”
“We are investigating the case from all angles. The accused has been identified and will be apprehended soon,” a senior police officer said, adding that additional patrols have been ordered in sensitive pockets of the town.
For now, the bustling administrative hub of Krishnagar remains gripped by shock and unease, as residents come to terms with the disturbing fact that even the shadow of the police headquarters could not prevent a young student from falling victim to a brutal killing.