In a joint drive, police on Monday night arrested another person in connection with the murder of a couple and their two children in Keraniganj last week.
Keraniganj and Ullahpara police conducted the drive at Ullahpara upazila, Sirajganj, said Tajul Huda, officer-in-charge of Ullahpara police station.
“A police team from Keraniganj contacted us. Acting on a tip-off, the team along with police officials from here conducted the drive and arrested the suspect,” he said.
“We have information that the suspect, Md Nasir, 29, was present during the murders,” said Kazi Maksuda Lima, assistant superintendent of police in Dhaka.
On Friday, police arrested seven people, including two prime suspects, in connection with the quadruple murder.
The arrested – Rani Begum, Mukta Begum, Shahida Begum, Rafique, Abdul Majid, Sumon and Johnny – were held from Gazipur, Munshiganj, Keraniganj, Abdullahpur and Hasnabad.
Among them, Johnny and Sumon were directly involved in the killing, while Majid provided them with yaba and the others helped them flee after the murder, police said. The three women further helped the criminals by informing the fugitives of police activities regarding the murder.
Police believe that an internal feud of a robbers' gang led to the murder of four from the same family – Shaju Ahmed, 35, his wife Ronji Begum, 28, and their son Imran, 7, and daughter Sanjeeda, 2 – in Kolakandi village of south Keraniganj on September 24.
Shaju had connection with the gang, and the dispute was over the distribution of looted valuables, police claimed.
“All the arrested as well as one of the victims Shaju were members of the same gang. They were involved in many illegal activities, such as robbery and yaba dealing. Recently the gang had robbed a house in Nawabganj, Dhaka, and the dispute occurred over the distribution of the loot,” said Habibur Rahman, superintendent of police in Dhaka district.
Police also believe that the miscreants killed the rest of the family to leave no witnesses.