A municipal worker was stabbed to death with surgical scissors in front of his wife at Kurigram municipal town hall on Saturday afternoon, shortly after the first session of a programme marking National Revolution and Solidarity Day.
The incident took place at the town hall near College Mor in Kurigram Sadar. The victim’s wife was also injured in the attack and later referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.
The deceased, identified as Mansur, 58, had worked for Kurigram Municipality on a daily-wage basis for years and was serving as the town hall caretaker.
According to officials present at the venue, the suspect, identified as Shahnewaz Sani, 32, entered the town hall after the first session of the programme had ended. Mansur told him that the event was over and there was no need to enter the premises, triggering an argument between the two.
At the time, Mansur’s wife, Mallika, 48, arrived with his lunch. As he was taking the food container from her, the suspect allegedly attacked him repeatedly in the chest with a pair of surgical scissors. When Mallika tried to intervene, she was also attacked.
Other employees rushed to help after hearing their screams and took the injured couple to Kurigram General Hospital, where doctors declared Mansur dead.
Local residents detained the suspect and handed him over to police.
Kurigram Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Kamal Hossain said police had recovered the scissors allegedly used in the attack from the suspect.
The victim’s daughter was preparing to file a case, he said, adding that investigators were examining the motive and why the suspect was carrying the scissors.
“The incident initially appears to have been sudden rather than premeditated,” the OC said.
Deputy Commissioner Annapurna Debnath and officials from the police and municipal administration visited the scene after the incident.
Despite the killing, the second session of the National Revolution and Solidarity Day programme continued at the town hall on Saturday evening.
