The live-in partner of a woman was killed by her husband at a village in Malda on Tuesday night.

Accused Krishnapada Saha, in his 40s, and a resident of Isadpur in Harischandrapur, was arrested on Wednesday.

Sources said Krishnapada got married to Sagarika, now in her 30s, 18 years back. The couple had two daughters.

Around two months ago, Sagarika went missing. Krishnapada came to know she was staying with Gobinda Pramanik, 32, a driver from neighbouring Konua-Gopalpur village. Sagarika and Gobinda stayed at a rented house in Chanchal.

A furious Krishnapada on Tuesday late evening intercepted Gobinda and Sagarika on their way to Chanchal at a locality named Bhabanipur under Harishchandrapur police station. He attacked Gobinda with a dagger and hacked him repeatedly.

As Sagarika raised an alert. Some residents rushed for help. Krishnapada managed to escape then.

Gobinda was rushed to the super-specialty hospital at Chanchal and shifted to Malda Medical College and Hospital. He died some hours later.

As the news spread, police in Chanchal and Harischandrapur police stations searched for Krishnapada who was arrested from Chanchal on Wednesday.

Sagarika claimed she left Krishnapada as he tormented her. “I had in fact started living with my parents as he did not support me and my daughters. Gobinda offered to marry me and we started living together as husband and wife at Chanchal,” she said.

Police officers said the accused had been booked under murder charges and probe was on.

‘Smuggler’ duo

Troops of the 61 battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) posted at North Agra border outpost in South Dinajpur district intercepted two alleged Indian smugglers on Wednesday. Virender Rana, a resident of Dumka in Jharkhand, and Raman Mahato, from Hilli of South Dinajpur, were nabbed while trying to cross the India-Bangla border. Both have been handed over to the police.

The BSF has also conducted raids in different areas under the north Bengal frontier on Tuesday night and Wednesday and have seized contraband items including cattle, cannabis and cough syrup bottles. The cost of these seized items is Rs 3.79 lakh, sources said.