The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has unearthed a double murder in Sonaimuri upazila of Noakhali after a two-year investigation, saying a woman and her minor son were killed and secretly buried over a property dispute, officials said on Monday.
CID officials said Kamala Khatun and her son Noman went missing on March 10, 2024. Her stepson Ziaur Rahman Sagar later filed a general diary (GD) with Sonaimuri Police Station, while Kamala’s sister Rahima Begum filed a petition case in court, prompting an investigation that was initially handled by the district Detective Branch (DB) before being transferred to CID.
Investigators said around 30 decimals of land had been registered in the names of Kamala Khatun and her son by her late husband Abul Kalam Azad, triggering a long-standing family dispute. CID said the victims were assaulted and threatened on February 25, 2024, after which they went missing.
On the night of March 1, 2024, sleeping pills were mixed into food and water, and after they became unconscious, they were strangled using a towel and suffocated with pillows, according to CID.
CID said Saiful Islam, also known as Rajon or Raju, was arrested from Mymensingh on May 21 this year. Based on his statement, Ziaur Rahman Sagar and Ashiqur Rahman Tipu were later arrested. The three accused are sons of Abul Kalam Azad from his previous marriage and stepsons of Kamala Khatun, and they allegedly confessed to planning the killings to seize the property.
CID said the bodies were buried in a pre-dug pit near a pond adjacent to the house, while clothing and other evidence were burned to destroy traces.
Based on their confessional statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the remains of Kamala Khatun and her son were recovered on Saturday through excavation in the presence of local representatives, village police and residents.
The remains were sent to Noakhali General Hospital morgue for autopsy. DNA testing of collected samples is underway, and investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest other individuals involved, CID added.
