Elderly woman murdered, house looted

A septuagenarian woman was killed at her Central Road residence in the city’s Dhanmondi area yesterday allegedly by her domestic help who made off with gold ornaments and some other valuables.
The deceased Sajeda Amin, 70, wife of a late physician, had no child and lived alone in her residence on the first floor of a two-storey building after the death of her husband in 1997. She owned the building and rented out the ground floor to a family.
The police are on the hunt for the domestic help, Enamul, 23. He has been missing with 20 tolas of gold ornaments, Tk 40,000 and a cellphone set, police said quoting her relatives. Enamul, hailing from Panchbibi in Joypurhat, was appointed as domestic help just a week ago.
Police recovered Sajeda’s body around 3:00pm with marks of wound in the back of her head and sent it to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy.
Victim’s sister Sharifa Mostaq said her sister lived in the house alone and she used to enquire about her.
Sharifa said she phoned her sister during Sehri time [early hours] yesterday and promised her to make a call again in the morning.
“I made her phone calls repeatedly from morning to noon and did not get any response. Finally, I sent a relative to her house. The relative found the door locked from inside and no one was responding,” she said.
After getting such information, Sharifa rushed to her sister’s house soon after noon and broke open the door with the help of her driver.
“Entering the residence, I found blood oozing out from the back side of her head and her two hands and legs were tied with cloth. Her mouth was also tied with cloth so that she would not be able to shout,” Sharifa broke into tears.
Officer-in-Charge of Dhanmondi Police Station Shah Alam said they suspect the domestic help tied her hands and legs first and then struck her on the head leaving her dead some time between Sehri and morning.
He said gold ornaments and money were taken after opening the almirah with a key.
The OC said they are investigating whether Enamul alone committed the murder or he did it with the help of others.
He said Sajeda’s relatives brought Enamul and appointed him as domestic help, but they did not give detailed information about Enamul.

Courtesy of The Daily Star