A woman accused in a stabbing case died by suicide while in police custody at Homna Police Station in Cumilla early on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Hamida, also known as Babita, wife of Khalil Mia of Ghaniarchar village in Homna Upazila.
Homna Police Station Officer-in-Charge Morshedul Islam Chowdhury said the woman was found hanging with her scarf around 5:30am inside a room of the police station’s women and children assistance desk.
Police said Babita was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the stabbing of her step-son, 11-year-old Saimon, who sustained serious injuries after being attacked with a knife.
The injured child was first taken to Homna Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as his condition deteriorated, where he remains under treatment.
Following the incident, local residents detained Babita and tied her to a tree before police arrived and took her into custody around 5pm on Wednesday, police said.
Later that night, Saimon’s uncle Swapan Mia filed a case with Homna Police Station over the attack.
Police said Babita had her four-year-old child with her at the time of arrest, which is why she was kept at the women and children assistance desk. Another female detainee and a woman village police member were present there.
According to police, Babita took her own life when an Ansar member briefly went to the bathroom early in the morning.
An executive magistrate later visited the police station and conducted the inquest. Further legal action will be taken after the post-mortem report is received, police said.
