Woman hacked to death while breastfeeding baby

A woman was allegedly hacked and had her throat slit by her nephew while she was breastfeeding her baby in Sherpur Sadar upazila on Wednesday. Police detained the alleged attacker, identified as Arif Hossain, 20.

The incident took place around 1pm on Wednesday (September 16) in Charsapmari village of Bhatshala Union in the upazila.

The deceased was identified as Rokeya Begum, 36, a mother of three. She was the wife of Maula Mia’s younger brother and lived in the same village. According to local residents, Arif was her nephew.

Police and local sources said Rokeya was sitting on a chair in the courtyard of her home and breastfeeding her young child when Arif, the son of her brother-in-law Maula Mia, arrived carrying a sharp machete. Before she could react, he allegedly attacked her.

Police said Arif repeatedly struck Rokeya on the neck and different parts of her body with the machete, killing her on the spot. After the attack, he returned to his own room wearing bloodstained clothes. Police said he later took a bath and attempted to go into hiding.

Police went to the scene after being informed of the incident. They later searched the surrounding area and raided Arif’s home, where they detained him.

Police said Arif admitted during preliminary questioning that he had killed his aunt, Rokeya Begum. Based on information provided by him, police later recovered the bloodstained trousers he had been wearing from his room.

Some local residents claimed that Arif had been addicted to drugs for a long time. They suspected that the killing may have occurred while he was under the influence of drugs, possibly following a family dispute or over a trivial matter. However, the exact motive for the killing has not yet been established.

Khokon Chandra Ghosh, officer-in-charge of Sherpur Sadar Police Station, said the body had been recovered and sent to the morgue at Sherpur District Sadar Hospital for autopsy.