DNA test identifies compatriot as killer

Ateef Sheikh, an Indian student of the University of Science and Technology Chittagong (USTC), who was found murdered in his apartment in 2017, was stabbed to death by his compatriot Maisnam Winson Singh, Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) officials confirmed yesterday, based on DNA verification.

Earlier, the PBI team sent a blood-stained bed sheet, some blood samples, and a blood-stained knife to the forensic lab of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the capital for DNA profiling.

Winson's DNA was found on the knife butt during verifying touch DNA swab, Sontosh Kumar Chakma, PBI Chittagong's inspector, also investigation officer (IO), told The Daily Star after receiving the test report yesterday.

However, the motive behind the killing still remains unknown, he added.

Ateef, an MBBS final-year student, was murdered in his Akhber Shah flat in the port city after a party on July 15 last year.

Winson, Ateef's roommate and also a USTC student, was rescued from the very room after he tried to hang himself.

Later he was admitted to hospital by two other Indian roommates, also students of USTC, Gangmei Niraj and Tongbram Jyotsana Debi.

PBI took over the case on July 20, 2017 and arrested Winson.

Winson was remanded twice but every time he told the investigators that he could remember everything except for what had happened during the murder, said the IO.

Upon a court order, a medical board of six doctors of Chittagong Medical College Hospital was formed to examine Winson's mental condition.

According to the medical report, Winson is both physically and mentally fine now; however, he is intentionally providing the symptoms of forgetfulness.

Winson will be remanded again soon, the IO said.