Mohammadpur murder: House help fled in school uniform after 'killing' mother, daughter

The household help, suspect in the Mohammadpur double murder, fled the flat disguised in the school uniform of one of the victims, police said.

Police recovered the bodies of Laila Afroze, 48, and her daughter Nafisa Lawal Binte Aziz, 15, from the seventh floor of a building on Shahjahan Road earlier in the day (8 December).

According to police, the domestic worker, Ayesha, 20, entered the home in a burqa and left two hours later dressed in Nafisa's school uniform. 

Assistant Commissioner of the Mohammadpur Zone under DMP's Tejgaon Division, Abdullah Al Mamun, told The Business Standard that the domestic worker employed at the residence has been missing since the incident.

"We rushed to the spot after receiving information. The domestic help is missing, and we suspect her involvement. The matter is under investigation," he said.

The bodies were sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for autopsy. Police are investigating the motive behind the double murder.

Police recovered two bloodstained knives from the bathroom.

The murders came to light when Laila's husband, AZ Azizul Islam, a teacher at Sunbeams School in Uttara, returned home around 11:30am after leaving for work earlier in the morning. 

Despite repeatedly ringing the doorbell, he received no response. Finding the door unlatched, he entered and discovered his wife dead and his daughter critically injured. He rushed Nafisa to Suhrawardy Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Domestic worker hired only four days earlier

Azizul Islam told police that the girl came to the building's guard four days ago in search of work. As the family needed a helper, the guard brought her upstairs. After a brief conversation, Laila hired her.

He also said that Ayesha allegedly told the couple that her parents had died in a fire, adding that she lived with relatives in Geneva Camp.

Police suspect she may have used a false identity.

Footage shows entry and escape

CCTV footage collected from the building shows Azizul leaving home around 7am.

At 7:52am, the helping hand entered the flat wearing a burqa. At 9:36am, she exited in Nafisa's school dress, carrying a bag. She waited briefly near the gate before boarding a rickshaw and leaving.

Police say signs of struggle were found at the crime scene, as well as a ransacked almirah and vanity bag.

However, no valuables appear to be missing except Laila's mobile phone.

Two knives, the suspected murder weapons, were recovered. One of them is a switch-gear knife and another fruit knife.

Building guard being questioned; investigation ongoing

Mohammadpur Police Station OC Mezbahr Uddin said the building's guard, Khalek, was being questioned.

AC Abdullah Al Mamun told The Business Standard that the investigators are analysing CCTV footage and verifying whether the suspect's real name is indeed Ayesha.

"So far, we have not found evidence of another person's involvement," he said.

He also added that aside from one missing phone, no significant items were reported stolen. Police are treating the case with "highest priority."