Biswabrata Goswami
Krishnagar, 31 August: In a dramatic breakthrough in the sensational Ishita Mallik murder case, the Nadia police have arrested Kuldeep Singh, the maternal uncle of prime accused Deshraj Singh, from Jamnagar in Gujarat. The arrest, made on Saturday morning, has added a new dimension to the investigation, with police claiming that Kuldeep actively assisted Deshraj in evading capture after the cold-blooded killing.
According to Kotwali police sources, Kuldeep Singh, a recently retired Army personnel, was picked up in connection with Kotwali P.S. Case No. 954/25 dated 25 August 2025 under Sections 25/27 of the Arms Act and Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He was flown to Kotwali police station under tight security for interrogation today, where investigators said preliminary evidence pointed to his role in facilitating Deshraj’s escape. “His involvement in providing logistical support to the accused has been found. Further interrogation is underway,” an officer confirmed.
The arrest comes six days after 19-year-old Ishita Mallik, a college student, was shot dead allegedly by her former classmate Deshraj Singh in the heart of Krishnagar, barely 500 metres from the Superintendent of Police’s office. The brazen daylight murder, committed with chilling precision, has shocked the town and raised uncomfortable questions about police efficiency. Despite multiple search operations, Deshraj remains at large.
Investigators now believe that the murder was premeditated. They have unearthed disturbing social media posts by Deshraj, including one where he posed with a pistol tucked into his waistband, captioned ominously with the words: “Dead body soon.” Officials say these posts reveal that Deshraj meticulously planned the killing days in advance, adopting the mindset of a “professional killer.”
On the day of the incident, Deshraj allegedly fired at Ishita from close range at her home and fled the spot in a toto, carrying the weapon with him. Police teams reached the site within minutes, but the accused managed to slip away. Three separate teams have since been dispatched to Uttar Pradesh in pursuit of Deshraj, who had earlier studied privately and enrolled in an institution in Krishnagar, giving him ample familiarity with the locality’s routes and escape points.
Meanwhile, Ishita’s last rites have been completed, leaving her family devastated. At an emotional press meet on Saturday, her parents, Dulal and Kusum Mallik, expressed anguish but also faith in the police investigation. “We want the accused to be arrested quickly. We want him to be hanged,” Kusum said in tears. She also recalled a chilling encounter when Deshraj had once addressed her casually on the staircase: “Aunty, aapse baat karna hai.” At the time, she did not realise who he was. “Deshraj tried to fire twice at me, but no bullet came out,” Kusum said.
Police have also seized Ishita’s mobile phone, which they believe could hold crucial clues about her communications with Deshraj in the days leading up to the murder. “This device may unlock the motive and provide the final trail to the absconding accused,” an investigator said.
Confirming Kuldeep Singh’s arrest, Additional Superintendent of Police, Meet Kumar, said: “He has been brought from Jamnagar, Gujarat and he is being interrogated and further investigation is proceeding.”
The arrest of a family member has widened the scope of the probe, even as Nadia police continue to face mounting pressure to apprehend the prime accused who has eluded capture for nearly a week.
