The body of Manju Ghoshal, a retired Post Office employee, was first spotted by her neighbour around 11.30 am. She was lying in a pool of blood in the bedroom. The police found a few gold ornaments, which have been stolen from her residence at 1, Nepal Bhattacharjee Street near Kalighat. The police said there were signs of resistance from the victim’s side.

Manju, wife of Narayan Ghoshal, became a widow in 2000. Her daughter Manasi Maitra stays in Sinthee with her husband. Manju’s neighbour Dolly Roy, who stays on the second-floor in the same building, was the closest to her. She used to come down every morning and evening to chat with the elderly woman.

Around 10.30 am on Friday, Dolly came down from her flat with a newspaper and some zarda-paan for Manju. The iron grill was open and the main door unbolted. “Before opening the door, she used to peep through the eye-hole and would open it only if the person was known to her,” said Chinu Gupta, a neighbour.

The police said Dolly entered her room after she couldn’t see her. She started calling out Manju’s name but there was no response. She then headed to the balcony, on the back side of the building. Not finding her there, Dolly then peeped into the bedroom and found Manju lying in a pool of blood with her face down on the bed, her legs touching the floor. Alarmed by Dolly’s scream, the neighbours rushed to the spot. Manasi was informed around 1.30 pm and later lodged an FIR with the Kalighat police station.

A senior officer of the Kalighat PS said, “Though the almirah was not tampered, we found the flat in a dishevelled state. Two cups with a little tea in it were found on a table in the room. The person was definitely known to the victim, or else she wouldn’t have allowed her inside the rooms and offered tea.”

The police found four injury marks on her body — on throat, neck, abdomen and back — and believe the injuries were caused by a sharp weapon, which is missing. Scratch mark on the victim’s hands revealed the bangles she wore were forced out.