Kolkata, Nov 7 — The body of an unidentified woman, estimated to be between 50 and 55 years old, was recovered from a pond in the Baguipara area of Baguiati in north Kolkata on Saturday, triggering concern among local residents on the eve of Kali Puja.
According to police sources, the incident came to light on Saturday morning when some local residents went to the pond to take a bath and spotted a woman's body floating in the water. They immediately informed the Baguiati police station.
A police team rushed to the spot after receiving the information and subsequently recovered the body from the pond. The body was later sent to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for an autopsy.
Police officials suspect that the woman may have drowned around 24 hours before her body was discovered. However, the circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear.
"A case has been registered. The body was discovered by local residents in the morning. Our officers reached the spot and recovered it from the pond. It has been sent for an autopsy. The actual cause of death will be established after the initial post-mortem report is received. Efforts are also underway to identify the deceased," a senior Kolkata Police officer said.
Investigators have begun enquiries in Baguiati and neighbouring areas to establish the woman's identity. Police officials said that none of the local residents who gathered at the spot could recognise her, raising the possibility that she might not have been a resident of the locality.
The investigators are examining whether the woman had come to the pond to bathe and accidentally drowned or whether she was killed elsewhere and her body subsequently dumped in the water.
The possibility of foul play has not been ruled out, although police said that the cause and circumstances of death would become clearer after the autopsy.
The recovery of the body has caused unease among residents of Baguipara, particularly as the incident came a day before Kali Puja, when the neighbourhood was preparing for the festivities.