A housemaid in Mohammadpur, Ayesha Akhter, killed a woman and her teenage daughter after being caught stealing gold and valuables from their home, police said.
The 20-year-old attacked homeowner Laila Afroza, 48, and her daughter Nafisa Nawal, 15, with a knife during a scuffle before fleeing in the teenager’s school uniform.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Mohammadpur Division) Jewel Rana told Dhaka Tribune that Ayesha admitted these details during primary interrogation.
He said that during a confrontation on Monday, Laila accused Ayesha of stealing valuables the previous day and warned she would search her and call the police. At that point, Ayesha pulled out a hidden knife and repeatedly stabbed Laila, then attacked Nafisa with several blows. Once certain both had died, she washed herself, changed into Nafisa’s school uniform, and fled.
ADC Rana added that some items had been stolen from the home the day before. When Ayesha attempted to steal again the following morning, Laila caught her and threatened to hand her over to the police.
“After her arrest, Ayesha admitted these details during primary questioning,” he said.
He also confirmed that Ayesha’s husband, Jamal Shikder, has been taken into custody. Police are investigating whether any accomplices were involved in the crime.
How Ayesha was arrested
Police said multiple teams were deployed using CCTV footage and technology. They first identified Ayesha’s current residence. Based on additional information from her mother, police confirmed that she had fled to her grandfather-in-law’s home in Jhalakathi.
On Wednesday morning, Mohammadpur police arrested Ayesha along with her husband, Jamal Sikder, 25, from Koyarchar in Nalchity of Jhalakathi district. Jamal is a resident of the same area; Ayesha is the daughter of Robiul Islam from Salimganj in Narsingdi.
According to police, Ayesha fled to Koyarchar with her husband after committing the murders in Mohammadpur.
Following the arrest, Jamal said: “She thought she could steal some things and bring them to me, and we would get some money. She stole a laptop and a phone. When she was coming out, her madam (Laila) saw her and grabbed her from behind. Then she stabbed her. As long as madam held on to her, she kept stabbing. When the daughter arrived, she stabbed her too.”
A murder case was filed at Mohammadpur police station on the night of December 8.
The complainant, AJM Azizul Islam, is Laila’s husband and Nafisa’s father.
The case states that the killings occurred between 7:51am and 9:35am on the day of the incident.
Investigators said the arrested woman had started working in the household only four days before the murders. She would arrive every day either wearing a burqa or covering her face. CCTV footage shows that she entered the home in a burqa on the day of the killings but left wearing Nafisa’s school uniform.
