RANGPUR – Questions have emerged over the investigation into the killing of a retired schoolteacher and three members of his family in Rangpur, after teachers, former students and civic groups rejected the police explanation and pointed to discrepancies between the police account and the findings of the autopsy doctor.
The victims were identified as retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, 65; his wife, Pritilata Chakraborty, 50; their daughter, Agami Chakraborty, 25; and their son, Ayush Chakraborty, 13.
Police recovered their bodies from a three-storey house in the Kamal Kachna area of Rangpur city on Saturday night. Two young men, Siddhartha Das, 19, and Mugdha Das, 23, who live near the victims’ home, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the killings.
At a press conference on Sunday, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud said the two suspects had allegedly killed the four members of the family by strangulation after being confronted while taking yaba on the rooftop of the house.
According to police, the suspects allegedly remained inside the house until Friday noon after the killings. They reportedly took a shower, ate cucumber and dates from the refrigerator and damaged their mobile phones using detergent and water.
However, teachers, students and local civic groups have strongly rejected the account, describing it as implausible and demanding a fresh investigation into the deaths.
Police account faces public challenge
At a protest rally on Monday, former Rangpur Zilla School teacher Shafiar Rahman questioned how two young men could allegedly kill four people and then remain inside the house for an extended period without raising suspicion.
“We cannot accept the police version,” he said, demanding that the actual motive and those responsible for the killings be identified.
Former students and cultural activists also questioned the police explanation, saying the circumstances surrounding the deaths require a more thorough investigation.
Forensic findings raise further questions
The police account has also come under scrutiny because of differences between the police statement and the preliminary findings of the autopsy.
Police Commissioner Mabud had said that Agami Chakraborty suffered a broken jaw and that her eyes had protruded during the alleged strangulation.
But Dr Babul Kishore Biswas, assistant professor of forensic medicine at Rangpur Medical College Hospital and the doctor who conducted the autopsies, said the findings did not support that description.
“Her jaw was not broken and her eyes had not protruded,” Dr Biswas told journalists on Monday. He said the preliminary findings suggested that she may have been strangled, but the exact cause of death could not be confirmed until the forensic report was available.
He also said there was no evidence of acid or chemical burns on the bodies.
Earlier, police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had suspected that chemicals or acid might have been used because the victims’ faces appeared disfigured and liquid substances were reportedly found there. The forensic doctor, however, said the discoloration and disturbing appearance of the faces could have resulted from natural decomposition after the bodies remained undiscovered for some time.
Protests demand independent investigation
Former students and teachers of Rangpur Zilla School staged a procession, held a rally and blocked a major road in the city on Monday, demanding that the actual perpetrators be identified and arrested.
The protesters gave authorities three days to uncover the truth, warning that they would intensify their demonstrations if the matter was not resolved.
The Rangpur district unit of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and the Rangpur Metropolitan Citizens’ Committee also held separate protests and human chains, demanding a transparent investigation.
Some civic activists called for a judicial inquiry into the killings, alleging that the case could be being diverted from its actual course.
Case transferred to DB
Amid the growing controversy, the murder case has been transferred from Rangpur Kotwali Police Station to the Detective Branch (DB) for a more detailed investigation.
DB Deputy Commissioner Sanatan Chakraborty confirmed the transfer. Inspector Jinnat Ali of the DB has been appointed as the new investigating officer.
The previous investigating officer, Inspector (Investigation) Milon Chatterjee, handed over the case documents and relevant evidence to the new investigator on Monday evening. The two officers subsequently visited the victims’ house, where the outgoing investigator briefed the new investigator on the crime scene and the progress of the investigation.
Sanatan Chakraborty said the transfer was intended to ensure a thorough investigation and facilitate the submission of a charge sheet.
He said the police commissioner’s account was broadly consistent with statements allegedly given by the two suspects before a magistrate, but added that the suspects had also provided new information on some matters.
The two accused were reported to have given confessional statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before a metropolitan magistrate on Sunday night.
With public confidence in the initial investigation under strain, the DB investigation is now expected to establish whether the two arrested youths were solely responsible for the killings and whether the alleged motive and circumstances presented by police can be corroborated by forensic and other evidence.
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