Rangpur Quadruple Murder: Families Say Arrested Youths Were Away That Night, Police Cite Confession

Family members of Siddhartha Das and Mugdha Das, two youths arrested over the killing of retired teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and three members of his family in Rangpur city’s Machhuapara area, said the pair were not at home on the night of the murders. Police said the two consumed yaba on the roof of Chakraborty’s house that night and remained there after the killings.

Police recovered the bodies of four people from Ganapati Chakraborty’s house late on Saturday night. Siddhartha was detained from his uncle’s house at that time, according to police. When officers went to Mugdha’s house, he fled after sensing their presence and was later detained from the cremation ground area.

A visit to Machhuapara at around 10am on Monday found police deployed in front of Chakraborty’s house. The area remained tense and subdued.

Siddhartha’s mother, Papri Rani, said her son left home on Thursday night saying he was going to play football. She said she believed he had stayed that night at the house of his friend Simanta next door. Siddhartha returned home at about 11am on Friday, she said.

Siddhartha’s father, Kanu Das, said: “Mugdha is the number one addict. He always called my son and made him take drugs. Whether the two of them committed the murders, or whether others were involved, only they can say. I will only say what I know to be true. The administration may shoot him dead. There is no need to keep bad people. But can the two of them kill four people? You tell me. The police have taken him away, and now we are living in fear.”

However, Simanta’s father, Subas Das, gave a somewhat different account. He said his son Simanta returned home at about 11:30pm on Thursday. Siddhartha came to their house at around 12am but left shortly afterwards. Simanta stayed at home that night, but Siddhartha was not with him, he said.

Police said Siddhartha and Mugdha first consumed yaba at Simanta’s house before going to the roof of Ganapati Chakraborty’s house, where they took yaba again. According to police, Ganapati saw them there and was killed after they feared their identities had been exposed.

At Mugdha’s house, his mother, Sena Rani, said Mugdha was also not home on Thursday night. She said she woke at about 7am on Friday and found his room locked. After opening it, she saw he was not inside. Mugdha returned home at about 11am, she said.

Sena Rani said: “I woke up in the morning and saw the room locked. I opened it and found Mugdha was not there. Later, he came home at about 11am. He washed his hands and face. When I told him to go to the market, he said he would not go that day.” She added: “My son has been arrested. If he is guilty, let him be punished. But those involved with this should also be identified. We are afraid. It may happen that if we go out on the street, people will say, ‘There is the killer’s mother, catch her!’ We are afraid to go out, and we are afraid at home too.”

Local residents alleged that drug abuse has spread in the area, with adolescents gaining easy access to yaba and other narcotics. They called for drug traffickers to be identified and brought under the law. Residents also questioned whether two people alone could have killed four people and demanded a swift investigation into whether others were involved.

Since Sunday, protest and demonstration marches have been held by students from various educational institutions in the city. The students demanded that the real motive behind the killings be uncovered and that those truly responsible be punished.

Ganapati Chakraborty, a retired teacher of Rangpur Zilla School, was the head of the family. He lived with his wife Pritilata Chakraborty, son Priyam and daughter Agami. Police recovered all four bodies from their Machhuapara home late on Saturday night.

Relatives said they had lost contact with the family after midnight on Thursday. Concerned by the lack of communication, relatives went to the house on Saturday and found the four bodies. Police were then informed.

Police sent the bodies to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for autopsy. After the post-mortem examinations, the bodies were handed over to the family at about 6:30pm on Sunday. The last rites were held at Dakshiganj crematorium in the city at about 10:30pm that night.

Police detained neighbour Siddhartha Das, 23, and Mugdha Das, 19, on Saturday night in connection with the case. Their statements under Section 164 were recorded at Rangpur Chief Metropolitan Court-2 at about 11:30pm on Sunday, after which they were sent to jail.

The investigating officer, Kotwali Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Milon Chatterjee, said: “The accused gave statements in court. In their statements, they admitted involvement in the killings.”

Earlier, at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud said Ganapati Chakraborty had seen the accused taking yaba on the roof. He said Siddhartha and Mugdha killed him for fear that their identities would be exposed, and then killed three other members of the family one by one.

The police commissioner said: “Ganapati Chakraborty Sir was a highly respected person. No member of his family had any dispute or enmity with anyone. After the killings, the accused stayed in the house, bathed, and ate dates and cucumber.”

Ganapati Chakraborty’s elder brother has filed a murder case with Rangpur Metropolitan Kotwali Police Station against unidentified persons.