Two men killed Hindu family in Bangladesh, stayed overnight, ate, bathed and took drugs after murders

Two men allegedly killed a Hindu family of four in Bangladesh’s Rangpur and then remained inside their home overnight, where they reportedly ate dates, took a bath and consumed yaba before leaving the next morning, police said.

The suspects, identified as 23-year-old Siddhartha Das and 19-year-old Mugdha Das, allegedly tried to remove their fingerprints from the victims’ mobile phones and staged the house to make the killings appear to be the result of a robbery, according to police and local media reports.

The two men were detained from Dakhiganj cremation ground in Rangpur city. Both are residents of Machuapara, where the incident took place.

Family found dead inside locked house

The killings allegedly took place on Thursday night in Machuapara, in Rangpur city’s Kamal Kachna area. The bodies were discovered late Saturday night after relatives and neighbours became concerned when the family could not be contacted.

The victims were identified as 65-year-old Ganapati Chakraborty, a retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher; his 50-year-old wife, Pritilata Chakraborty; their 23-year-old daughter Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, a master’s student; and their 12-year-old son Priyam Chakraborty, a Class V student.

According to Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud, the suspects allegedly entered Ganapati’s rooftop through a neighbouring building on Thursday night and were consuming yaba when Ganapati confronted them.

Police said the suspects allegedly strangled Ganapati with a gamchha after fearing he would identify them. When Pritilata came upstairs after hearing the commotion, she was allegedly strangled with a piece of cloth on the staircase.

Prarthi and Priyam were also killed, police said. Priyam’s body was later found beneath a bed.

Suspects allegedly stayed overnight

Instead of fleeing immediately, the suspects allegedly remained inside the house until Friday morning. Police said they showered, ate dates from the dining table and continued consuming yaba after the killings.

They also allegedly placed Ganapati and Pritilata’s mobile phones in water mixed with washing powder in an attempt to remove fingerprints.

The suspects reportedly left when the area became quieter during Friday prayers. Before leaving, they allegedly ransacked the house to create the impression that the family had been killed during a robbery.

Police said stolen gold ornaments were later found in an abandoned area behind a temple near the house, based on information allegedly provided by the suspects.

Commissioner Mabud said both men confessed to killing all four family members after their arrest. A murder case has been registered in connection with the incident.

Bodies recovered after two days

Relatives said the family had been unreachable since Thursday night. Pritilata and the other family members could not be contacted despite repeated calls, while all four phones were switched off.

Relatives who went to the house on Saturday night found the main gate locked. Police and Fire Service personnel arrived around 10:45pm and broke open the door.

Ganapati’s body was found on the roof, while Pritilata and Prarthi were found on the staircase. Priyam’s body was recovered from beneath a bed.

The bodies were sent to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examinations. A CID crime-scene team collected evidence and cordoned off the house.

CID Rangpur Superintendent of Police Sumit Chowdhury said investigators initially suspected a robbery-related motive. He added that the bodies had begun decomposing because the deaths occurred around two days before they were discovered.

Police said the suspects were identified through a joint investigation involving the Rangpur Metropolitan Police, CID and Detective Branch. Investigators said the family had no known disputes or enmity with anyone.