Homemaker stabbed, burnt to death

A housewife was stabbed and burnt to death in her flat by unidentified criminals in the capital's Kafrul area yesterday.

The victim, Shima Begum, 33, was the wife of Shahjahan Sikder.

Selimuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Kafrul Police Station, said the woman used to live with her husband in a flat on the sixth floor of a 10-storey under-construction building in Baishteki area. Her stepson along with his wife also lived with them, the OC said.

There had been a longstanding family feud. Neighbours said they heard them quarrels even yesterday morning, the police officer said.

The body was recovered around 1:00pm.

"We are suspecting that she was first beaten up, stabbed and then burnt to death. Most parts of her body were burnt. There were stab marks on her back," the OC said.

Police suspected the involvement of her family members in the incident.

Quoting locals, police said Shahjahan is a carton trader. His son Nahid assisted him in his trade.

Shahjahan came to the flat around a year ago. He first married off her son. Then he married Shima seven months back. Shima's17-year-old son also used to visit her.

The incident took place when Shahjahan was out. Nahid and his wife went into hiding after the incident, the OC said.

The Criminal Investigation Department collected evidence from the spot.

The body was sent to Dhaka Medical College morgue for an autopsy.