Discovery of the bodies

A retired Hindu schoolteacher, his wife, and their two children were found dead inside their locked home in Rangpur city, Bangladesh, late Saturday night, prompting a joint investigation by local police, the Criminal Investigation Department, and the Detective Branch. The bodies were recovered around 11:30 pm from a house in the Daspara (Machhuapara) area, according to Nazmul Kader, officer-in-charge of Rangpur Metropolitan Kotwali Police Station, as reported by The Daily Star and carried by multiple outlets.

The deceased were identified as Ganapati Chakraborty, 65, a retired teacher from Rangpur Zilla School; his wife Pritilata Chakraborty, 50; their daughter Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 23; and their son Priyam Chakraborty, 12. The bodies were found in different parts of the house: Pritilata and Agami on the staircase, Ganapati on the roof, and Priyam under a bed. Subir Chowdhury, in-charge of Rangpur Metropolitan CID, said initially it appeared to be a robbery, as household belongings were found scattered. Sanatan Chakrabarty, deputy commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police and head of the Detective Branch, said the bodies were sent to the morgue and that investigators initially suspected strangulation.

Relatives said they became concerned after losing contact with the family. Puja Chakraborty, Pritilata's younger sister, told The Daily Star that she had last spoken to her sister on Thursday afternoon and that all four family phones had been switched off since Thursday night. "We came to Daspara on Saturday night after finding their phones switched off. The main gate of the house was locked, and all the lights inside were off. Police later arrived, broke the lock and entered the house, where they recovered the bodies," she said. Puja expressed shock, saying the family could not understand who would target them or why. Ganapati's niece, Soma Chakraborty, said her uncle had no known enemies and had worked as a homeopathic practitioner after retirement.

Detention of suspects and police account

Police detained two cousins, Mughdho and Siddhartha, in connection with the killings. According to a briefing by Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud, the two suspects allegedly entered the rooftop of the Chakraborty home through a neighbouring building on Thursday night and consumed yaba, a potent illicit drug. When Ganapati heard noises and went upstairs to question them, the suspects allegedly strangled him with a gamchha (a thin cotton towel) he was carrying on his shoulder, fearing their identities would be exposed. During the commotion, Pritilata went upstairs and was allegedly strangled with a piece of cloth on the staircase. Their daughter and son were also killed during the incident, police said.

Police believe Priyam may have been targeted because he knew the suspects; investigators said the boy was a friend of Apurba, Siddhartha's younger brother. The family had no known disputes or enmity with anyone, according to police.

Some reports noted a discrepancy in the timing of the body recovery, with some accounts placing it on Friday night rather than Saturday. Most reports, however, indicated the bodies were recovered around 11:30 pm on Saturday.

Suspects' actions after the killings

According to police and local media reports, the two suspects remained inside the house for several hours after the killings. They ate dates and cucumbers from the refrigerator, took a bath, and continued consuming yaba. They allegedly left during Friday prayers, when the streets were relatively empty, after ransacking the house to make the killings appear as a robbery. Investigators found evidence of drug use and food consumption, as well as items suggesting an attempt to test a gold bangle with fire. Two mobile phones belonging to the victims had been submerged in water mixed with detergent, possibly to destroy evidence. Police also recovered gold jewellery allegedly looted from the home from an abandoned location indicated by the detainees.

The suspects were detained from Dakhiganj cremation ground in Rangpur city. Police said they confessed to the killings during questioning. A murder case has been filed in connection with the incident. Date pits found inside the house were sent for DNA testing, according to Prothom Alo, as reported by The Times of India.

Investigation and context

Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud said the case was being investigated with the highest priority and that autopsy reports would establish the cause of death. Police and Fire Service personnel arrived at around 10:45 pm and broke open the door, according to one report. The bodies were sent to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for autopsies.

The family had recently built a three-storey house in the area. Local resident Sudhangshu Chandra Das said the family had lived there for around four years and the house construction was incomplete. Ganapati retired from Rangpur Zilla School on December 31 last year; his daughter completed her master's degree in English from Rangpur Carmichael College this year, and his son was a Class 5 student at Rangpur Zilla School.

Students of Rangpur Zilla School held a human chain and demonstration outside the school to protest the killings, according to Moneycontrol.

Perspectives

Police

Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud, along with other officials, provided the detailed account of the events leading to the killings, the suspects' post-crime actions, and the ongoing investigation, emphasizing that the case was being handled with priority.

Family members

Relatives, including Puja Chakraborty and Soma Chakraborty, expressed shock and confusion, stating that Ganapati had no known enemies and that they could not comprehend the motive behind the killings.