Cumilla police arrest Kabiraj who strangled mother, daughter after trying to rape the latter
RAB has also detained another spiritual healer who was the last person to have any contact with the deceased mother.
Police have arrested a kabiraj (spiritual healer) in connection with the murders of the Comilla University student Sumaiya Akter Rinti, 23, and her mother Tahmina Akter Fatema, 52, whose bodies were discovered on Sunday (7 September) at their rented flat in a building near the Kaliajuri area of Cumilla.
The arrestee, Mobarak Hossain, a resident of Bagichagaon of Cumilla city, was captured from the Durgapur area yesterday (8 September), said Cumilla Superintendent of Police (SP) Nazir Ahmed Khan today (9 September).
Meanwhile, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained another individual, named Abdur Rob, from the Nangolkot area last night, and handed him over to Kotwali Model Police Station after interrogation, said Major Sadman Ibn Alam, commander of RAB-11.
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He said the two victims had gone to Rob, another spiritual healer, two days prior for advice, and he was the last person to have any contact with Tahmina.
At a press conference today, SP Nazir said, "Mobarak has admitted during preliminary interrogation that Tahmina had sought spiritual treatment for her daughter, believing she was possessed by a djinn.
"Through visits to their home over the past month, Mobarak gained the family's trust under the guise of performing exorcisms."
SP Nazir added that on the day of the killings, Mobarak arrived at the house in the morning carrying two bags. After performing a ritual, he briefly left but soon returned.
"Seeing Tahmina sleeping in her room, he then attempted to sexually assault Rinti. When Tahmina intervened, he smothered her with a pillow," said the police official.
"Later, Mobarak entered Rinti's room and tried to violate her again. When she tried to resist, he strangled her to death. He then stole four mobile phones and a laptop from the house and fled," SP Nazir added, citing Mobarak's confession during questioning.
Al-amin, the youngest son of Tahmina, filed a murder case at Kotwali Police Station yesterday.
On Monday morning, police had recovered the bodies of Tahmina and Rinti, a third-year public administration student at Comilla University, from the flat after Al-amin and his older brother Tajul Islam found them dead in their rooms late on Sunday night.
House owner Anisul Islam Rana said that four years ago, court official Nurul Islam rented the flat. After his death last year, his wife Tahmina and their three children continued living there.
CCTV camera footage had shown a man visiting the flat several times on Sunday, he said.
According to Tajul, after he and his younger brother returned from Dhaka and Cumilla EPZ, respectively, on Sunday night, they found the flat's door open. They saw both Tahmina and Rinti lying on their beds and thought they were sleeping.
After Tahmina and Rinti did not respond to their calls, the brothers went to their rooms and found both of them dead. Later, they called the police.
Meanwhile, students of different schools and colleges formed human chains in Cumilla city demanding swift justice. Demonstrations began at Pubali Square and later moved to the SP's Office.
Separate protests were also organised by Comilla University students today.
