Dhaka SI, second wife killing: Who killed who?

Police have yet to unravel the mystery behind the deaths of Rupnagar police sub-inspector (SI) Abdus Sattar and his wife Shompa Khatun. Shompa's relatives claimed that Sattar had shot Shompa after she divorced him, then committed suicide himself. But on Sunday, Rupnagar police station's officer-in-charge Syed Shahid Alam said: “We are not yet able to confirm who shot who.” On July 8, police broke into the couple’ house in and recovered their bodies. Upon taking them to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, doctors pronounced them dead. Police have been speculating that marital conflict might be at fault, resulting in Sattar shooting Shompa dead, and then taking his own life afterwards.. Sattar's brother, Bablu Rahman, has filed this as an accidental death case on Sunday afternoon. Shompa had started work as a lab technician at Pallabi's Al-Shafi Hospital since July 1. On July 7, she was forcibly taken home by Sattar on his motorcycle from the hospital. The hospital personnel had notified officials at the Pallabi police station, but Sattar had already left with Shompa by the time police arrived, said DMP Deputy Commissioner for Mirpur Masud Ahmed. According to Shompa's relatives, Sattar married his first wife Bobita Akhter's cousin Shompa Khatun almost a year ago, while still being married to Bobita. Sattar and his first wife Bobita Akhter have two sons together. She told the Bangla Tribune: “Sattar remarried with my permission. He took care of the family's finances as well. We did not have any conflicts between us.” When asked when she last spoke to her husband, Bobita said: “Sattar came to our house on Saturday evening. He left the house after having lunch, but he did not tell us where he was going.” Shompa's father, Sukbor Ali said: “Shompa divorced Sattar during Ramadan. That was why he killed my daughter.”

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Sukbor Ali further said: “My daughter used to work from home. They eloped, we did not know anything about it then. Shompa suddenly left Dhaka last year. We then found out later that she had secretly married Sattar.” He added: “Shompa told me that Sattar forced her to marry him. When she returned home, he tried to take her back, but I did not let him. At first, she did not want to go back either. Sattar even got his family to ask me to give her back. But I turned down their request. He started acting crazy. He told me that he wanted to make Shompa his wife. Then his first wife, Bobita, pleaded with me. She said 'Uncle, please give him your daughter. We cousins will live together just fine. Otherwise both of our lives will become hell.'” “They were carrying on their lives for better or for worse. My daughter returned home just before Eid. She then divorced Sattar, and spent the Eid at my place. She was forcibly taken to Sattar's home from her workplace. Sattar then killed her because of the divorce.” Shompa's elder sister, Shobita Khatun said: “Shompa divorced Sattar in the middle of Ramadan. He then continuously threatened to shoot her. He killed her because she divorced him. My sister wanted to carry on working while she was studying, but she was not allowed to do so.” Former army Captain Dr Md Fazlur Rahman, owner of the Shompa’s workplace Al-Shafi Hospital, said: “Even though Friday (July 7) was Shompa's day off, she still came to work at the hospital. Her husband came to pick her up at around 7pm in the evening.” He also added: “Shompa had previously worked for 6-7 months here last year. She then left the job, but came back later. Since she was an old employee and hard working, she was reoffered her position here.” Rupnagar OC Shahid has said that there are legal complications with the case. He said: “We recovered both of their bodies after they were shot. Since they are both dead, it is difficult to say who died first. We have therefore accepted an accidental death case in regards to the incident.” Senior Assistant Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Pallabi Zone, Zakir Hossain said: “This could be the result of a family dispute. We recovered their bodies after breaking down their door. They were then declared dead at the hospital. We are not sure who shoot who yet.”