A 36-year-old mother of three was killed outside her home in Sherpur Sadar upazila on Wednesday afternoon in a knife attack. Police arrested the victim’s nephew, 20-year-old Ariful Islam, shortly after the incident took place in Charsapmari Kamarpara village under Bhatshala Union.
The victim, Rokeya Begum, was the wife of local resident Lal Miah. The suspect, Ariful Islam, is the son of Aminul Islam, the victim’s brother-in-law who lives in the adjacent homestead.
According to police and local sources, the attack occurred around 1:00 pm on Wednesday, 16 September. Rokeya Begum was seated on a chair in her courtyard, feeding her youngest child, when Ariful approached her from behind holding a sharp cleaver. Before she could react, he struck her across the neck and upper body. The severity of the wounds caused her to die at the scene, while her child escaped physical harm.
Following the assault, the suspect walked to his nearby dwelling wearing bloodstained clothes, bathed, and attempted to hide. Upon receiving reports of the incident, a team led by Sherpur Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khokon Chandra Ghosh cordoned off the area and detained Ariful.
During initial questioning, Ariful admitted to attacking his aunt with the sharp weapon. Based on information obtained during interrogation, officers recovered his bloodstained trousers from inside his room.
Local residents stated that Ariful had been struggling with drug addiction for an extended period. Neighbors suspect a dispute or an altercation under the influence of narcotics may have triggered the attack, though police have yet to confirm a definitive motive.
Sherpur Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khokon Chandra Ghosh confirmed that officers recovered the body and prepared an inquest report before transferring the remains to the Sherpur District Sadar Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination. Legal proceedings to file a murder case are under way as investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
