Mother, baby boy killed

A housewife and her infant son were hacked to death allegedly by her husband over family disputes in Subarnachar upazila in the early hours yesterday.

The victims were Lucky Bala Nath, 21, and her two-year-old child Harichan Nath, said police.

The police picked up the husband, Sonjoy Nath, 28, and his parents Dasharath Nath and Swapna Rani Nath in connection with the double murder.

Lucky, daughter of Ratan Nath and Saptami Bala Nath of Hazipur village under Purba Charbata union of Subarnachar upazila, got married to Sonjoy four years ago.

Her mother Saptami said after the marriage Sonjoy and his family members used to torture her over trifling matters.

On Friday night, the couple locked in an altercation over refilling cellphone credit, she said.

Around 12:30am yesterday, Sonjoy and his family members first beat up her, she alleged.

Later, her husband allegedly chopped her with a sharp weapon. When two-year-old Harichan embraced his mother, the father hacked him as well, Saptami further alleged.

The family members also chopped the mother and her son, leaving them dead on the spot, she alleged.

Later, they dumped the bodies under a stack of straw. However, when they were digging a pit to hide the bodies deep at night, locals saw their suspicious activities and informed police.

Nizam Uddin, officer-in-charge of Char Jabbar police, said they rushed to the spot, recovered the bodies and arrested Sonjoy and Dasharath that night.

The police also detained Sonjoy's mother Swapna yesterday morning.

The bodies were sent to Noakhali General Hospital for autopsy, said the OC.