Questions raised over police narrative, investigation handed over to DB

Questions have emerged over the police’s initial explanation of the killings of four members of a family, including retired teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, in Rangpur’s Machuapara.

Police said, ''drug use triggered the killings and arrested two youths, Siddhartha Das, 19, and Mugdha Das, 23. According to police, the two went to Ganapati’s house to consume yaba. After Ganapati saw them, they allegedly strangled him with his towel and then killed his wife, daughter and son."

But locals have questioned why the youths went to Ganapati’s rooftop after reportedly consuming yaba at their friend Simanta’s house. They also reportedly used a neighbour’s rooftop, which was relatively secluded, to access Ganapati’s roof. Questions have also been raised about consuming drugs on an open rooftop.

The sequence of the killings has raised further questions. If Ganapati was killed after seeing the youths consume drugs, why did they stay at the scene and kill three more family members instead of fleeing?

A doctor working in drug addiction treatment said, ''yaba can affect behaviour and judgment but added that the alleged sequence of events requires further explanation."

Meanwhile, the investigation has been transferred from Kotwali Police Station to the Detective Branch (DB), with DB Commissioner Sanatan Chakraborty assigned to lead the probe.

The four bodies were recovered from different parts of the house around 10:30 PM Saturday after relatives alerted police. The victims were Ganapati Chakraborty, 65; his wife Pritilata Chakraborty, 52; daughter Agami Chakraborty, 25; and son Priyam Chakraborty, 12.

Police arrested Siddhartha and Mugdha early Sunday. They are maternal cousins.

The DB probe is now expected to determine whether the drug-consumption theory holds up and whether any other motive or involvement was behind the four killings.

-LY/MT