Police claimed the murder of freedom fighter Jogesh Chandra Roy and his wife Subarna Roy in Taraganj, Rangpur, was committed by a young man looking to steal money.
On Friday afternoon, Rangpur Police Superintendent Marufat Hossain revealed the discovery of the axe used in the crime during an operation.
The murder, which occurred on 7 December, led to the arrest of 19-year-old Morsalin, a first-year student at Taraganj College on Thursday.
Initially believed to be a teenager, Morsalin was later identified as an adult.
Police confirmed that Morsalin was facing significant debt, he owed Tk8,000 and could not repay it. Morsalin worked as a mason’s assistant.
Before the crime, Morsalin had worked as a tile mason at Jogesh Chandra’s house and developed the belief that there was a large sum of money inside.
This suspicion led him to commit the murder in a bid to steal.
According to police, Morsalin entered the house of the elderly couple through a back wall near a mango tree. He attacked Subarna Roy while she was washing dishes in the kitchen and later killed Jogesh Chandra Roy in the same manner.
After the murders, Morsalin searched through the house but found no money. He then discarded the axe in an abandoned pond nearby.
Rangpur Police Superintendent Marufat Hossain stated that Morsalin had confessed to the crime during initial questioning and led police to the axe and a machete used in the murder.
“Morsalin had no previous criminal record, and he is not a professional killer. He committed this crime purely for money,” Hossain added.
Jogesh Chandra Roy’s son, assistant sub-inspector Shoven Chandra Roy, expressed some scepticism about the motive behind the murders.
He suggested that there might be other individuals involved, and an investigation is ongoing.
“We believe that there could be more people behind this. The investigation is still in progress, and I cannot comment further until it is completed,” he said.
Shoven also raised the possibility that a land dispute could have been a factor in the murders, though this is yet to be confirmed.
The tragic incident took place in the early hours of 7 December when Chandra Roy and his wife Subarna Roy’s bodies were discovered in their home in the East Rahimapur Hindu locality of Taraganj.
The couple, both highly respected in the community, was known for their involvement in the Liberation War, and Jogesh Chandra Roy had retired as the headmaster of a government primary school.
Morsalin’s arrest has brought some relief to the family, but the investigation is still ongoing to uncover whether others were involved in the crime.
“We are relieved that the arrest has been made, but we still need to understand who else may have been involved,” said Shoven.
