Rangpur family murder: Four bodies cremated in emotional farewell

The funerals of retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, his wife Pritilata Chakraborty and their two children, Agami and Ayush Chakraborty, were held at the city’s Dakhiganj Mahashmashan on Sunday night.

The four family members, who were allegedly murdered at their home in Rangpur, were cremated on four separate pyres following Hindu religious rituals.

According to relatives, the bodies were handed over to family members by Rangpur Medical College Hospital after the necessary formalities on Sunday night. They were then taken to the crematorium, where relatives performed the funeral rites before lighting the four pyres. After the cremation, the family collected the ashes.

Police recovered the bodies of Ganapati, Pritilata, their daughter Agami and son Ayush from a locked house in the city’s Machuapara area on Saturday night. Two young men, Mugdha Das and Siddhartha Das, were arrested in connection with the killings.

Police said the two accused confessed to the murders before a court on Sunday night. Their statements were recorded before Rangpur Metropolitan Magistrate Court-2 Judge Rafiqul Islam at around 10:30pm after they were produced before the court by the investigating officer, Kotwali Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Milan Chakraborty.

At a press briefing on Sunday afternoon, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud outlined the preliminary findings of the investigation. According to him, the two accused were allegedly taking drugs on the roof of Ganapati’s house when he confronted them. They allegedly strangled him with a towel before killing other members of the family to conceal the crime.

Police said Pritilata was killed on the staircase when she went upstairs after hearing a struggle involving her husband. Their daughter Agami was allegedly killed after she came out of her room upon hearing her mother’s screams. The accused then allegedly killed Ayush, a Class Five student at Rangpur Zilla School, downstairs by strangling him and pressing a pillow over his face.

The deaths have left relatives and local residents in shock and mourning as investigators continue probing the killings.