Elderly Halima killed for her savings and gold earrings: five arrested including her younger brother, police say
Greed for gold earrings, saved-up money and livestock — combined with anger over obstructing drug dealing and an old land dispute. Police say 65-year-old Halima Begum was planned to be killed out of these resentments and conflicting interests.
Police have arrested five people, including the victim's younger brother and his wife, over the brutal killing in Dhamoirhat, Naogaon. Law enforcers said that after the murder, one of Halima's earlobes was cut and the other torn to snatch the gold earrings from her ears.
The arrested persons are the victim's younger brother Majnu Rahman (56), his wife Hosne Ara (42), Rabiul Islam (39), Hamidur Rahman (55) and Mosharraf Hossain (45). The rope and scarf used in the killing were seized from them.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammad Tariqul Islam disclosed the information at a press conference held at the Naogaon SP's office at around 11:30am on Wednesday (21 October).
The SP said: 'On the morning of 19 October, local residents saw the bloodied body of Halima Begum lying on a ridge in a paddy field beside a bamboo grove at Chhilimpur (Talbona) village in Dhamoirhat upazila. On information, police went to the spot and prepared an inquest report. They found one of the elderly woman's earlobes cut and the other torn. Dhamoirhat police began investigating to unravel the mystery of the killing right after the incident.'
After a murder case was filed over the incident, police first arrested Majnu Rahman and his wife Hosne Ara in raids. Based on information given by them, Rabiul Islam, Hamidur Rahman and Mosharraf Hossain were then arrested in drives in the Alampur and Chhilimpur areas.
According to police, Halima Begum was childless and abandoned by her husband. She lived in a hut behind her younger brother Majnu Rahman's house at her father's home. Alongside working in people's homes, she earned a living by rearing cows, goats and poultry. She had saved some money from her hard-earned income.
Her younger brother Majnu and his wife Hosne Ara coveted her savings and livestock. On the other hand, police said Rabiul Islam was angry with Halima for obstructing local drug sales, while Hamidur Rahman and Mosharraf Hossain bore grudges over an old land dispute.
Centred on these disputes and conflicting interests, the five together planned to kill her about five days before the murder, the preliminary investigation has found.
SP Mohammad Tariqul Islam said that, according to the plan, at around 11:30pm on 18 October, Hamidur Rahman tactfully called Halima Begum out of her home. The other accused then grabbed her mouth shut, and she was taken about 200 yards away behind a stack of straw.
There, Halima's hands were tied with a rope and she was strangled with her own scarf wrapped around her neck, police said, citing information obtained from interrogating the accused. It is alleged that Hamidur Rahman then cut one of her earlobes and tore the other to remove the gold earrings she was wearing.
After the murder, the accused left the body hidden behind the bamboo grove and fled. Police said they later divided the pair of gold earrings among themselves.
Police claim that interrogation of the arrested persons and the information they provided yielded important details about the planning, execution and aftermath of the killing. The arrested persons have been sent to court after completion of the necessary legal process. Officials of the district police at various levels were present at the press conference.
