Police have arrested a truck driver in Meherpur town following a brutal overnight attack that left his former wife with a severed right hand and her parents critically injured. The horrific incident unfolded in the early hours of Wednesday at the residence of the victims in the Lordmarket area, sending shockwaves through the local community.
The survivor has been identified as 26-year-old Sriti Khatun, a second-year undergraduate student at a local college. Her father, Selim Hossain, works as an electronics trader, and her mother, Rebeka Khatun, is a housewife. The detained suspect, 28-year-old Sayan Mia, resides in the Mallikpara locality of the town and works as a truck driver.
According to police and local accounts, Sriti and Sayan had entered into a romantic relationship and married on August 15 against the wishes of Sriti’s family. However, mounting pressure from her family prompted Sriti to legally divorce Sayan just over a week later, on August 23. Investigators believe the sudden dissolution of the marriage triggered deep resentment and anger in Sayan.
On Tuesday night, around 1:30 AM, Sayan allegedly scaled the window grills of Selim Hossain’s house while the household was asleep. Armed with a sharp weapon, he entered Sriti’s room and launched a sudden, vicious assault upon her. In a violent frenzy, he struck her repeatedly, eventually severing her right hand from her body.
Hearing Sriti’s piercing screams, her parents rushed from an adjacent room to intervene. Sayan turned his weapon on them, inflicting severe chop wounds before managing to flee the scene under the cover of darkness.
Neighbours drawn by the commotion rushed to the house, rescued the bloodied victims, and transported them urgently to Meherpur General Hospital. Dr M M Zahidul Islam, the resident medical officer at the hospital, noted that all three victims were brought in critical condition. “Sriti’s right hand was completely severed, and her parents sustained deep, life-threatening slash injuries,” he stated. Following emergency stabilization, their rapidly deteriorating condition necessitated an immediate transfer to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for advanced surgical care.
Following an intensive manhunt, law enforcement officers located and detained Sayan Mia from a mango orchard in Mallikpara around 7:00 AM on Wednesday.
Humayun Kabir, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Meherpur Sadar Police Station, confirmed the arrest and preliminary motive. “Initial investigations confirm that the attack stemmed from intense anger over the recent divorce,” he said. Authorities are currently interrogating the suspect and finalising formal legal proceedings against him as the investigation continues.
