DNA from crime-scene evidence matches two accused in Rangpur family murders: Police
Samples collected from date seeds, bitten cucumber pieces, and cigarette filters found at the spot showed a match in laboratory tests, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Detective Branch) Sonaton Chakroborty said last night (8 October).
The DNA of the two suspects arrested in connection with the murders of former schoolteacher Ganapati Chakraborty and his family members in Rangpur has shown a "statistical match" to DNA collected from different pieces of evidence found at the scene, police have said.
Samples collected from date seeds, bitten cucumber pieces, and cigarette filters found at the spot showed a match in laboratory tests, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Detective Branch) Sonaton Chakroborty said last night (8 October).
"Tests on the DNA samples collected from Siddhartha Das and Mugdha Das at the CID Forensic Lab in Dhaka matched the DNA found in the evidence," he said.
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According to sources, forensic tests had earlier detected male DNA in the date seeds, cucumber pieces, and cigarette filters, but investigators had yet to identify whose DNA it was. The samples were subsequently compared with those collected from the two suspects.
On 22 August, the bodies of Ganapati, 65, a former teacher of Rangpur Zilla School; his wife, Pritilata Chakraborty Bala, 50; daughter, Agami Chakraborty Prarthi, 25; and son, Ayush Chakraborty Priyam, 12, were recovered from their locked home in Machhuapara of Rangpur city.
Within six hours of the murders, police arrested two suspects, Mugdha and Siddharth.
The two suspects were taken from Rangpur Central Jail to Dhaka on the night of 20 September, and their DNA samples were collected at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office the following day.
Investigators collected more than 35 pieces of evidence from the scene, including a fruit knife, foil used for Yaba consumption, cigarette ends, cucumbers, dates, marks on a washbasin, and writing found in a notebook belonging to one of the deceased children.
The items were sent for forensic examination in several phases.
Police had earlier said the suspects stayed inside the house after the killings and ate dates and cucumbers.
The DB is investigating the incident.
