Recovery of mutilated bodies raise serious concerns

Criminals are adopting gruesome methods to dispose of bodies after murder. In several recent incidents, bodies have been dismembered and packed into bags, suitcases, cartons or sacks before being dumped in different locations. Such acts may be intended to conceal victims’ identities, destroy evidence and mislead investigations.

Concern has grown after the dismembered bodies of three people were recovered in Dhaka, Gazipur and Faridpur within just two days. Body parts were found beside a canal, in a paddy field near a highway and under a culvert. The dumping of bodies in populated areas and beside important roads has also caused fear among local residents.

On September 12, police recovered the dismembered body of a woman from the bank of a canal near Hakkar Mor in the Balur Math area of Adabor-10 in the capital. Her head, torso and both hands were found inside a black backpack. Her two legs were recovered later. Her identity has yet to be established.

Adabor police station Officer-in-Charge Zahidul Islam told The Daily Observer that police were working to identify the victim and arrest those involved. Police initially suspect that she was killed elsewhere and her body was later dumped there. However, investigators are considering all possibilities, he said.

The same day, police recovered the six-piece dismembered body of a man from a paddy field beside the Dhaka-Khulna highway in Madhukhali, Faridpur. The body parts had been packed in three plastic sacks and a carton. Police estimated the victim to be around 50 years old.

A day earlier, on September 11, the dismembered and partially decomposed body of an unidentified woman was recovered from a trolley bag and suitcase under a culvert over a canal in Gazipur’s Bhabanipur.

Joydebpur police station OC Md Al-Mamun told The Daily Observer that the victim’s identity had been established but declined to provide further details in the interest of the investigation.

Concealing identity: Police Headquarters Assistant Inspector General (Media) AHM Shahadat Hossain told The Daily Observer that one of the main reasons for dismembering a body could be to conceal the victim’s identity. Dumping body parts at different locations may also be a tactic to avoid the risks associated with transporting an entire body.

He said police first try to establish the victim’s identity through various methods before investigating the circumstances of the death and identifying those responsible. Even people who are not professional killers may resort to such tactics out of fear of being caught, he added.

Lawyer Shanaul Haque Tipu said if an attempt is made to dispose of a body or destroy evidence after a murder, charges of destroying evidence can be brought in addition to the murder charge. Section 201 of the Penal Code may be added to Section 302.

However, he said, establishing the victim’s identity is one of the biggest challenges in such cases. Without identifying the victim, it becomes difficult to determine the motive, trace the victim’s movements and identify possible suspects.

Human rights activist and chairperson of Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation Advocate Alena Khan told The Daily Observer that criminals may believe that police will find no leads if a body is dismembered and dumped in different places. But advances in DNA testing and technology have made it harder to conceal identities. Such incidents will not stop unless those responsible are arrested and brought to justice, she said.

Distorted mentality: Mental health experts say there is no single psychological explanation for such behaviour. In some cases, an offender may have psychopathic traits, while attempts to dispose of a body may also stem from intense fear or guilt after a killing.

Dr Omar Faruk, Professor of Criminology and Police Science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, told The Daily Observer that the incidents of dismembered bodies should not be viewed as isolated cases. Dismembering a body after a murder can be an expression of a distorted and aggressive mindset, he said.

“Destroying evidence is not the only possible motive. The perpetrators may also seek a form of psychological gratification by creating an even more painful and frightening situation through the killing,” he said. Fear of being caught may also drive some offenders to dismember bodies.

With three dismembered bodies recovered in three districts within two days, major questions remain over the motives behind the killings and those involved. Ensuring swift identification of the victims, investigation and trial of the cases has become a growing demand.