Murder to fund pleasure trip

The killing of an elderly man in his Chawkbazar flat in Dhaka on November 17 was not a simple case of robbery. Rather, it was a murder planned by two grandchildren of the victim, Mansur Ahmed (78), according to a top DMP official.

The development came following the arrest of five people, including the two siblings, from different areas yesterday.

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They admitted to their involvement in the murder, Biplob Bijoy Talukder, joint commissioner (crime) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told reporters yesterday.

Of the arrestees, Anika Tabassum (23), a private dental college student, and her brother Shahadat Mubin Alvi (20) are the victim's grandchildren.

The three others are Anika's friend Raju (23), his younger brother Raihan (20), and Saeed (20).

Anika and Alvi planned a tour with their friends, for which they needed money.

The duo, along with Raju, planned to inject Mansur with a sedative to take his money, the police official said.

Anika made a duplicate key to the flat and gave it to Raju, who then got Raihan and Saeed involved.

Around 10:00pm on November 17, the three entered the house when other family members were out attending a wedding.

The trio then assaulted the old man, tied his hands and legs and sedated him.

Other family members later took an unconscious Mansur to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The family filed a case with Chawkbazar Police Station, stating that unidentified people killed Mansur and took away some cash and valuables worth around Tk 12 lakh.

Initially suspected as a robbery, the investigation took a turn when they found a syringe at the flat, said Biplob.