Couple jailed for life in Cumilla murder case

A court in Cumilla has sentenced a man and his wife to life imprisonment for killing a woman over a land dispute in Chandina in 2018.

Judge Mithila Islam pronounced the verdict on Monday (August 31). The court also imposed a fine on them, Tk 10,000 each. If they fail to pay the penalty amount, then they have to spend an extra jail term of two months. One more accused in the case was acquitted as he failed to produce sufficient evidence.

The convicts are Samir Chandra Das, aged 42 and his wife Rupali Rani Das, 37, residents of Mahichail Baraipara, Chandina upazila.

According to the case, on January 10, 2018, the duo had an altercation with Ranjit Chandra Das and his wife Shilpi Rani Das over land dispute. Suddenly, the duo attacked them with sharp machetes. As a result, the duo were severely injured. Later, Shilpi Rani Das succumbed to her injuries at Chandina Upazila Health Complex.

In connection with the murder case, Nitai Chandra Das, elder brother-in-law of the deceased filed a case at Chandina Police Station with three accused persons. After completion of investigation, police submitted the charge sheet to the court on August 18, 2018.

In the hearing, prosecution presented eighteen witnesses. The court convicted the accused duo on their confessional statement. None of the two convicts were present during pronouncing the verdict.

-AJM