A 24-year-old man has been accused of killing his mother with a machete and killing his six-month-old niece by slamming her to the ground in Devibidwar, Cumilla. His sister-in-law, who reportedly intervened to protect the infant, was also seriously injured in the incident.
The incident occurred at around 8.30am on Monday at the home of Mostofa Master in Southpara of Barashalghar village, under Barashalghar Union in Devibidwar upazila.
The deceased have been identified as Mosammat Firoza Begum, the accused man’s mother, and six-month-old Israt Jahan, his niece. Rabea Akter, the infant’s mother and Emons’ sister-in-law, sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
According to local residents, Emon became agitated in the morning and allegedly attacked his mother with a machete. He reportedly struck her repeatedly, leaving her critically injured. She died at the scene, local people said.
The violence then allegedly continued with the infant. Emon is accused of picking up Israt Jahan and slamming her to the ground, causing her death. When Rabea Akter attempted to intervene and save the child, she was also attacked and seriously injured.
People from the surrounding area rushed to the house after hearing the commotion. They rescued Rabea Akter and arranged for her to be taken to hospital. Residents also detained Emon and locked him in a nearby room before police arrived and took him into custody.
Emon’s elder brother, Mohammad Sujon, said Emon had been living at home since breaking his leg in 2018. He underwent surgery on the leg twice. According to Sujon, Emon began showing signs of mental health difficulties after the injury.
Sujon said he had left home at around 7am on Monday. He later received news that his mother and daughter had been killed and that his wife had suffered serious injuries in the attack.
The motive behind the incident remains unclear. Police are examining whether a family dispute, a sudden outburst or another factor may have led to the violence. No definitive explanation has yet been established.
Devibidwar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Moniruzzaman said officers went to the scene after receiving information about the incident and took Emon into custody. He said initial information indicated that Emon had been ill for a long period, although the exact nature of his illness and its relevance to the incident have not been established.
The officer said the reason for the killings had not yet been confirmed and that the matter was under investigation.
Police are expected to examine the sequence of events, speak to witnesses and gather other relevant information as they work to establish what happened inside the house. The condition and account of the injured Rabea Akter may also be relevant to the investigation.
The deaths of a mother and a six-month-old child from the same family have caused shock in the local community. The incident has also left the family facing the loss of two members while another remains in hospital after sustaining serious injuries.
