Elderly couple found dead in capital

An elderly couple was allegedly poisoned to death inside their Demra house in the capital yesterday, by a group of women suspected to be members of a doping gang.

The victims are Hazi Abdus Sattar, 75, and his wife Shahera Khatun, 60.

Police suspect the criminals poisoned them and fled with valuables, judging by an almirah broken open and their room in a mess.

Sattar owned a one-storey building at Purbobox Nagar of Sarulia. His family lived in three rooms while they used to rent the other three.

Five women in Burqas entered the room of Sattar around 5:00pm posing as potential tenants, said the couple's neighbour Hasina Begum. She said after a few minutes the women left the couple's room.

“As we did not get any response from the couple, we entered the room around 5:30pm and found them unconscious with foaming mouths,” Hasina told reporters at Dhaka Medical College Hospital where the victims were rushed to.

Shahera was pronounced dead on arrival to DMCH at 6:50pm, while Sattar died one hour later.

Hasina also said the women had come to the house earlier on Saturday to rent the house, and the couple asked them to come the next day. After they arrived yesterday, Sattar fixed the monthly rent at Tk 2,200 and allowed them to enter their room.

Quoting the neighbours, sub-inspector Nasiruddin Hawlader of Demra police station said although the women were wearing burqa, their faces were visible.