Mentally ill woman strangled
Belal, father of two, was forced to marry Sima after allegation of raping her
A mentally challenged woman was strangled to death allegedly by her husband and in-laws at Beelpara village under Doail union in the district's Sarishabari upazila on Monday.
The victim is Sima Begum, 20, daughter of poor Sohrab Ali and Banechha Begum of the village, and second wife of Belal Uddin, 45, of the village.
Belal, husband of another woman and father of two children, was forced to marry neighbour Sima after the allegation against him of raping her was proved in a local arbitration three months ago, said police, referring to the victim's parents.
Soon after the marriage, Belal, his first wife Jelemon Begum, 38, and other in-laws started torturing her mentally and physically, Aminul Islam, sub-inspector of Sarishabari Police Station, quoted the victim's mother Banechha as saying.
“Around 4:00pm on Monday, Belal and Jelemon strangled Sima to death after their failed attempt to forcibly send her to her parents' house. Keeping the body in the kitchen, they went into hiding.
“The same evening, Banechha came to her son-in-law's house to meet her daughter, but did not see her in the house. After searching, she found Sima's body in the kitchen, said the SI.
On Monday night, Banechha filed a murder case accusing 12 in-laws including Belal and Jelemon with Sarishabari Police Station and police arrested one of the accused -- Nurjahan, 60, paternal aunt of Belal, said SI Aminul, also investigation officer of the case.