Family Arrested Over Murder of Natore Businessman

Police in Singra Upazila, Natore, have apprehended the wife and son of a local fish trader following the discovery of his body. Rafiqul Islam, 45, was found with his throat slit at his residence on Monday morning. The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of his wife, Shiuli Begum, 35, and their son, Saifuddin Siddique, also known as Royal, 23.

Incident Overview and Initial Claims

The local authorities were alerted early Monday morning regarding a homicide in the victim’s home. Upon arrival, officers recovered the body and initiated an immediate on-site interrogation of the family members. Initially, Shiuli Begum provided a fabricated account of the events. She claimed that after performing her morning prayers, she discovered her husband’s body in an adjacent room. According to her initial statement, the previous evening had been routine; she reported serving him dinner and applying medicinal oil to his head before they retired for the night.

However, inconsistencies in their testimonies led to a more rigorous interrogation. Under questioning, Saifuddin Siddique was the first to confess to the crime, followed by his mother. They admitted to a joint conspiracy to murder Rafiqul Islam. Shiuli Begum cited her husband’s alleged drug addiction and long-term physical abuse as the primary motive, stating she could no longer endure the domestic violence.

Recovery of Evidence

Following the confessions, the suspects disclosed the location of the murder weapon and evidence. Acting on this information, the police conducted a search of a pond adjacent to the property. Divers and officers recovered a blood-stained cleaver (chappatti) and the blood-soaked clothing worn by the suspects during the commission of the crime.

Case Summary at a Glance

Legal Proceedings and Official Statements

The victim’s brother, Farooq Hossain, has formally filed a murder case against Shiuli Begum and Saifuddin Siddique. The body of the deceased has been transported to the Natore Sadar Hospital morgue for a mandatory post-mortem examination to confirm the exact cause of death and gather further forensic data.

Rafiqul Islam, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Singra Police Station, confirmed the sequence of events. He stated that the initial story provided by the suspects was a fabrication intended to mislead the investigation. The OC noted, “Based on their provided information, we recovered the blood-stained clothes and the cleaver from a nearby pond. This evidence confirms their direct involvement.”

The police are currently preparing to present the suspects before a magistrate. It is expected that they will provide official confessional statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure as the legal process moves forward. The investigation remains active to ensure all facets of the domestic dispute and the premeditated nature of the crime are thoroughly documented for the court.