Biswabrata Goswami
KRISHNAGAR, 2 SEP: Even as police tighten the noose around the family and associates of Deshraj Singh, the prime accused in the murder of 19-year-old student Ishita (Isha) Mallick, investigators are now examining the psychological dimensions of the crime. A psycho-mental analysis of both the victim and the accused has revealed an unusual pattern: their deep immersion in online shooting games and virtual worlds.
According to DSP Shilpi Paul, the accused and the victim were “heavily addicted” to a mobile shooting game, often spending hours in its virtual battlefield. “The victim most of the time used to escape into the virtual field. This case is similar to another mysterious crime near the SP’s office a few months ago, where the victim girl was also deeply addicted to a mobile game and remained absorbed in the virtual world,” she said.
Drawing a wider social parallel, the officer remarked, “The new generation youngsters are mostly engrossed in virtual worlds. When they fail to negotiate with reality, such crimes or even suicides take place.”
When asked why Singh, who was allegedly driven to crime after being rejected in a physical-world relationship, did not himself remain confined to the virtual space, DSP Paul observed: “Belonging to the virtual world was probably part of the game itself in this case. Our investigation suggests that both were, in some form, addicted to this type of gaming environment.”
The findings point towards an unsettling interplay between virtual addiction and violent behaviour, raising questions about the blurring lines between online fantasy and lived reality. While police continue to pursue leads about the family network that allegedly shielded Singh during his week-long escape, the psychological strand of the investigation is expected to provide fresh insight into the motives and mindset behind the crime.
Meanwhile, hours after the dramatic arrest of Deshraj, Krishnagar district police are preparing to conduct a Test Identification (TI) parade at Krishnagar Correctional Home on Wednesday. The development marks a critical stage in the investigation that has gripped the town for over a week.
Police sources confirmed that Ishita’s parents and younger brother would be taken to the correctional home to identify Singh. Following the TI parade, investigators are likely to move court seeking his police custody for further interrogation.
At the same time, the spotlight has turned towards Singh’s immediate family. His father, Raghubir Singh—a constable posted in the armoury section of the 20 BSF Battalion in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan—has been placed under virtual house arrest and is facing intensive questioning. Police officials are trying hard to bring him to the Kotwali police within days. Officers suspect he may possess key information on the network that helped his son evade capture for nearly a week. Singh’s close associate, Nitin Pratap, are also under probe, while investigators are scrutinising the role of his maternal uncle, Kuldeep Singh, arrested in Jamnagar, Gujarat, on Saturday night.
“Evidence suggests a web of family complicity and criminal facilitation. This case goes beyond a crime of passion; it reveals how an entire network enabled the accused to remain on the run,” a senior officer told Hummingbird News.
