Accused Arrested in Kolkata Hotel Murder Case After 3 Years

On October 29, 2025, a joint team from the Kolkata detective department and Park Street Police Station announced the arrest of two suspects in the October 2022 murder of Rahul Lal (26) at Hotel Al Burj in the city. The accused, Shaktikant Bera and Santosh Bera, were taken into custody from Banki, near Cuttack in Odisha.

According to police, the duo had been residing in Sambalpur, Odisha for the past few years after allegedly committing the crime. The arrests came after extensive source networking and technical inputs, with the accused now being brought to Kolkata on transit remand.

The exact motive behind Lal's murder is still under investigation, though the accused have claimed they met the victim, a known petty criminal, near Victoria Memorial a few days prior to the incident. An altercation reportedly broke out between the three men in the hotel room, leading the accused to allegedly overpower and kill Lal.

Police are now working to verify the claims made by the suspects, including whether there was a financial dispute involved. They will also recreate the crime scene after further questioning. Authorities have dismissed earlier speculation that the murder was linked to the sale of antique items.

Lal's body was discovered on October 24, 2022 by guests who had checked into the same hotel room a day earlier and complained of a foul smell. The preliminary autopsy had revealed that he was strangled to death, with the accused allegedly fleeing with a bedsheet after the incident. Investigators are now trying to ascertain where this crucial evidence was disposed of.