Family says Jatrabarhi killers were victims’ acquaintances

Family of the double-murder victims suspect their acquaintances might have committed the killings to rob money and gold.

Police found bodies of Raushan Ara, 60-year old widow of a police officer, and her housemaid ‘Kalpana’ in her house at Dhaka’s Jatrabarhi on Tuesday night.
 
Raushan’s brother Mozammel Hossain filed a case at Jatrabarhi Police Station on Wednesday morning over the murders without naming anyone.
 
Sub-Inspector Imranul Islam said, “More than one police teams are looking to arrest the murderers. We hope we can give you (journalists) good news soon.”
 
Raushan’s youngest brother Moazzem Hossain told bdnews24.com they suspected family acquaintances might have committed the murders to take away money and gold ornaments.
 
Raushan used to live on the first floor of the house with her son-in-law ‘Sohan’ and maidservants Lucky Akter and Lucky’s daughter Kalpana.
 
All her five children live abroad.
 
Moazzem said, “The collapsible gate of the house always remains locked. Someone needs to open the lock (if anyone comes to the house). I think Kalpana opened the lock after the doorbell rang since (the strangers) were their acquaintances.”
 

He said the killers left the house keeping the collapsible gate open. The key was found with the lock at the gate, he added. 

Moazzem said Sohan went to their village home at Dohar on Tuesday morning.

“Sohan was not at home. They (killers) were certain that it was the best time to loot,” he said.

He said the tenants of flats in the house and neighbours had no idea when the murders were taking place.

Asked if Raushan had any row with anyone over the house and the land, Moazzem relied ‘no’.

“We haven’t heard of any row with anyone during or after the land purchase and building of the apartment complex,” he said.

Raushan’s husband additional superintendent of police Abdul Kuddus purchased the land at 56 North Jatrabarhi before independence and he constructed the house in 1978-79.

Kuddus died in 1994.

Moazzem said Raushan’s four children live in the United States and one in Canada.

One son and one daughter had started for Bangladesh hearing of their mother’s death, he added.

Asked if police had found any clue to the murders, DMP Wari Deputy Commissioner Mostak Ahmed told bdnews24.com: “Several agencies are probing (into the killings). So it won’t be wise to say anything at this moment.”