Infant, parents found dead in Madaripur flat

Police have recovered the bodies of three members of the same family, including an eight-month-old child, from a flat in Madaripur, with investigators examining whether the deaths were the result of murder or suicide.

The bodies were recovered in the early hours of today (18 May) from a rented flat in the Amirabad residential area of the town.

The deceased were primarily identified as Chinmoy Das, his wife and their infant child.

A woman named Mishti Baroi, a tenant of the flat, has been taken into police custody for questioning over the incident.

Madaripur Superintendent of Police Habibur Rahman said police were initially suspecting suicide, but the possibility of murder was also being examined.

"The full identities of the three deceased have not yet been confirmed. Tenant Mishti has been taken into police custody for questioning. The actual facts will be known after the investigation," he said.

Police said inconsistencies were found in Mishti's statements, and she is being questioned further.

According to police and local sources, Mishti Baroi had been living in the flat as a tenant for over three years.

Yesterday afternoon (17 May), Chinmoy Das, his wife and the child arrived at the flat, identifying themselves as her relatives. Later, Mishti went out, leaving them in the house.

When she returned at night, she found one room locked from inside. After receiving no response despite repeated calls, she informed the house owner.

Police later arrived after a call was made to the national emergency service 999. Law enforcers broke open the door and recovered the bodies.

House owner Shantana Rani Chanda said Mishti usually lived alone in the flat, although a man named Ratan occasionally visited the house, claiming to be her husband.

"He used to pay the rent. I do not know whether they had any other identities," she said.

She added that Mishti informed her about the locked room at night, after which she advised her to contact the police.

A local resident, Hasibullah, who was present during the recovery, said the room had been locked from inside, and a piece of furniture was also placed in front of the door.

"When police entered the room after breaking the door, the bodies of the man and the child were hanging from the ceiling fan, while the woman's body was lying on the bed," he said.

The bodies were later sent to the Madaripur 250-bed District Hospital morgue for autopsy. Following the incident, members of RAB-8 visited the scene.

Commander of Madaripur RAB-8 Mir Monir Hossain said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the deaths.