A retired Hindu schoolteacher, his wife and their two children were killed at their home in Bangladesh’s Rangpur after allegedly confronting two men who had entered their rooftop to consume Yaba, a potent illicit methamphetamine-based drug, police said. The four victims were found dead inside their locked home on Saturday night.

Police have detained two cousins, identified as Mughdho and Siddhartha, in connection with the killings. Investigators said the suspects allegedly remained inside the house for six to seven hours after the murders, during which they consumed food, took a bath and left behind several clues that helped investigators identify them.

Suspects Allegedly Entered Rooftop To Take Yaba

The victims were identified as 65-year-old Ganapati Chakraborty, a retired teacher of Rangpur Zilla School; his 50-year-old wife Pritilata Chakraborty; their 23-year-old daughter Agami Chakraborty Prarthi; and their 12-year-old son Priyam Chakraborty, according to The Daily Star.

Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud said the two suspects allegedly entered Ganapati’s rooftop through an adjoining building on Thursday night and consumed Yaba there.

Ganapati reportedly heard noises and went upstairs to find out who was on the rooftop. Police suspect that the men feared he would recognise them and allegedly strangled him with the gamchha, a thin cotton towel, that he was carrying on his shoulder.

The commotion reportedly alerted Pritilata, who went upstairs to investigate. Police said she was allegedly strangled with a piece of cloth on the staircase.

Their daughter Agami and son Priyam were also killed during the incident. Investigators believe Priyam may have been targeted because he knew one of the suspects.

Police said Priyam was a friend of Apurba, Siddhartha’s younger brother, and the suspects allegedly feared that the boy could reveal their identities.

Suspects Allegedly Stayed Inside House After Murders

Police said the suspects did not leave immediately after killing the family. Instead, they allegedly remained inside the house for another six to seven hours.

Investigators found evidence suggesting that the suspects consumed food and drugs while inside the property. They reportedly ate dates and cucumbers taken from the refrigerator and later took a bath.

“We found evidence of eating Yaba. We found date seeds. We also found evidence of eating cucumbers taken out of the fridge. After the murder, they took a bath. We found bangles that had been tested in fire. Then we thought that someone experienced in gold might be involved. After analysing these evidence, we were able to arrest the accused,” Mabud said, according to BBC Bangla.

Police said the evidence collected from the house, including items linked to the suspects’ activities after the killings, helped investigators identify and arrest them.

Police Say Suspects Confessed During Questioning

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Rangpur Metropolitan Police, the Criminal Investigation Department and the Detective Branch, leading to the detention of the two suspects.

Rangpur DB Deputy Commissioner Sanatan Chakraborty said the suspects confessed during questioning after being detained early in the morning.

“After the two suspects were detained early in the morning, they were interrogated extensively. They frankly confessed to the murder. We have confirmed this by interrogating them together and separately,” he told BBC Bangla.

Four Bodies Found Inside Locked Home

The four bodies were recovered at around 11.30 pm on Saturday from the family’s locked home in the Daspara, also known as Machhuapara, area of Rangpur city.

Ganapati’s body was found on the rooftop, while Pritilata and Agami were found on the staircase. Priyam’s body was recovered from underneath a bed inside the house.

Relatives had become concerned after all four family members’ mobile phones were switched off from Thursday night. Puja Chakraborty, Pritilata’s younger sister, told The Daily Star that she had last spoken to her sister on Thursday afternoon.

Relatives went to the house on Saturday night after failing to contact the family and discovered the situation. The family had recently moved into the newly built three-storey house, according to the report.

Family Had No Known Disputes

Police said the family had no known disputes or enmity with anyone before the killings.

Ganapati retired from Rangpur Zilla School on December 31 last year. His daughter had completed a master’s degree in English from Rangpur Carmichael College this year, while Priyam was a Class 5 student at Rangpur Zilla School, according to The Daily Star.

Local resident Sudhangshu Chandra Das said the family had lived in the neighbourhood for around four years. He described Ganapati as friendly and courteous but said the family had not developed close relationships with many people because they were relatively new to the area.

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