A 27-year-old pregnant woman was allegedly beaten to death in front of her seven-year-old child in Dhamrai, on the outskirts of Dhaka, with police detaining her husband in connection with the incident.
The victim, identified as Popi Rani Sarkar, was three months pregnant. The incident reportedly took place on Sunday (2 August) in the Gomgram area of Jadavpur Union in Dhamrai upazila.
Police recovered Popi Rani’s body later that night and sent it to the morgue at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka for a post-mortem examination. Investigators said the examination would be crucial in determining the precise cause of death and establishing the nature of the injuries sustained by the victim.
According to local residents, Popi Rani’s husband, Liton Sarkar, worked as a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver and had allegedly been struggling with drug addiction for a long period. They also claimed that he had repeatedly subjected his wife to physical and psychological abuse.
The victim’s relatives alleged that a family dispute broke out at their home on Sunday afternoon. During the argument, Liton allegedly attacked Popi Rani with a stick while their seven-year-old child was present. She reportedly suffered serious injuries and lost consciousness.
Later in the evening, Liton, with the assistance of local residents, took her to Kalamapur Holy General Hospital. However, doctors on duty declared her dead after she was brought to the facility.
News of her death quickly spread through the area. Local residents reportedly detained Liton and informed the police. Officers subsequently took him into custody and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
Popi Rani’s father, Parimal Sarkar, alleged that his daughter had faced repeated abuse since her marriage. He said that, on several occasions, the family had taken her back to her parental home because of the alleged violence. According to him, Liton later apologised and persuaded the family to allow Popi Rani to return to her marital home.
Her father alleged that the latest assault was also responsible for her death and called for those responsible to face legal action.
Shahidul Islam, an investigation officer at Dhamrai Police Station, said officers recovered the body after receiving information about the incident. He said preliminary examination had revealed multiple injury marks on the woman’s body.
The police officer confirmed that the alleged husband had been detained. He said the exact cause of death would be established after the post-mortem report was received. Police are also processing a complaint from the victim’s family, after which further legal action will be taken in accordance with the law.
The case has once again drawn attention to the serious consequences of domestic violence, particularly when allegations of repeated abuse are involved. However, investigators have yet to establish the full circumstances of the incident, and the allegations against the detained man will be subject to the ongoing investigation and legal process.
