Krishna's killer untraced, family upset

The killer is identified because he was known to her husband – but college teacher Krishna Kaberi's murderer has given police the slip and remains at large more than three months after her death.

Her family is upset.

"The murderer kept his mobile on for a while after the killing. Police said he is very much in Dhaka – at Uttara or Jatrabarhi. Now they (police) say he has fled the country," Krishna's maternal uncle Pintu Biswas told bdnews24.com.

On Mar 30, businessman Zahirul Islam Palash came to greet Krishna's husband and BRTA's Deputy Director Sitangshu Shekhar Biswas on his birthday with a cake, sweets and flowers.

The family was at their Iqbal Road apartment in Mohammadpur and Zahirul was apparently known to them.

Sitangshu lost consciousness after sipping some fruit juice and Zahirul, who might mixed the sedative in the drink, attacked him with a hammer.

When Krishna tried to save her husband, she was battered mercilessly along with Sitangshu. Her saree caught fire from the candles and she was burnt badly.

When their daughters Shruti, 14, and Atri, 8, shouted for help, they were also attacked by Zahirul.

Krishna, who taught at the Mission International College, died in hospital the next day.

Sitangshu stays with his daughters in another apartment in Mohammadpur, trying to recover from the nightmare.

"The killer was known to Sitangshu, so we presented graphic details to police. But they failed to arrest him and we are very upset," says Pintu Biswas.

Sitangshu's elder brother Sudhangshu Shekhar Biswas filed a case of murder with Mohammadpur police the day after the brutal attack.

Zahirul Islam Palash was named as the only assailant in the case.

Zahirul was an executive with the brokerage firm Haji Ahmed Securities and Sitangshu had investment worth Tk 800,000 in the stock market.

Media reports suggest the murder was a fallout of some 'deep discord' over stocks, but Pintu Biswas believes that may not be the case.

"The motive will be known only after Zahirul is caught," he told bdnews24.com.

He said Sudhangshu Shekhar Biswas had spoken to senior home ministry officials to expedite the investigations, but Zahirul had not been arrested so far.

The investigating officer of the case, Delawar Hossain, says police are convinced that Zahirul is responsible for attacking Sitangshu and killing Krishna Kaberi.

"But we are not sure of his motive. We are checking leads and trying to find out whether it was a dispute over stock market investments or something else that provoked the murderous attempt," Hossain, a Sub-Inspector with the Detective Branch, said.

But he denied that police were not pursuing the case seriously.

"We’re doing our best."