Four members of Hindu teacher’s family found dead at home in Bangladesh

Melbourne, 23 August- A former Hindu teacher of Rangpur Zilla School and three members of his family have been found dead inside their locked home in Rangpur, northern Bangladesh, with injuries reported on all four bodies. Police suspect the deaths may be linked to a robbery, but investigators are yet to determine exactly how the family died or whether the incident was a planned attack.

Grief and fear have gripped an area of Rangpur after the bodies of four members of the same family, including a former teacher of Rangpur Zilla School, were recovered from a locked house in Machuapara.

The bodies were recovered by police after they broke open the lock of the house on Saturday (22 August) night. Investigators said all four victims had visible signs of injuries. As the deaths are believed to have occurred several days earlier, the bodies had also begun to decompose.

The deceased were identified as former Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty Jewel, 65, his wife Pritilata Chakraborty Bhola, 50, their daughter Prarthi Chakraborty, 25, and their son Priyam Chakraborty, 12.

According to local residents, the house in Machuapara had remained locked from the outside for several days. Suspicion grew after no one was seen entering or leaving the property and an unpleasant smell began spreading from inside the house.

Police were informed and officers went to the property. After breaking the lock, they entered the house and found the bodies of the four family members on the second floor.

Relatives and local residents said the bodies of the mother and daughter were found on the staircase. The condition of the bodies and the apparent circumstances of the deaths have left relatives and neighbours deeply shocked. Some said they were even afraid to describe what they had seen.

Inspector Abu Hasan Kabir of the Rangpur Criminal Investigation Department (CID) confirmed that the four bodies had been recovered.

He said a strong smell had spread throughout the building and investigators believed the deaths had occurred several days earlier.

After visiting the scene, Sumit Chowdhury, the officer in charge of the Rangpur CID investigation, told reporters that the incident initially appeared to be linked to a robbery.

He said the deaths may have occurred three to four days earlier.

According to the investigator, the electricity connection to the house had been cut off. Areas where cash and valuables were believed to have been kept had been broken into, while cupboards and other parts of the house also showed signs of damage.

Investigators are also examining the possibility that the victims were killed by having a rope or towel wrapped around their necks.

Officials involved in the investigation said the bodies had begun to decompose because the deaths are believed to have occurred three to four days before they were discovered. This has made it difficult to immediately determine the exact cause of death.

However, investigators said all four victims had signs of injuries on their bodies.

Police are giving particular attention to the possibility of robbery because locks at several places where money and jewellery were reportedly kept had been broken.

However, investigators have yet to establish how a possible robbery may have been connected to the deaths of the four family members, or exactly when and how they died.

The incident has caused deep grief among the victims’ relatives and heightened concern across the neighbourhood. A house that was home to a family just days ago has now become the scene of a major police investigation.

Local residents said they were deeply disturbed by the condition in which the bodies were found and were reluctant to describe the scene in detail.

Police said they were investigating whether the four deaths were the result of a planned killing or whether the victims died during an altercation linked to a robbery.

Investigators have collected various pieces of evidence from inside the house and are examining the nature of the injuries, the positions in which the bodies were found, the condition of the rooms and whether any valuables were stolen.

The bodies will be sent for post-mortem examinations to determine the exact cause of death. Police will also examine forensic evidence collected from the scene and question people who may have information about the incident.

Investigators said the post-mortem reports, forensic evidence and other findings will be crucial in determining how the four family members died and whether anyone was involved in the deaths.

The investigation will also seek to establish whether the incident was a robbery that turned violent or a pre-planned attack targeting the family.