Policeman held over killing of ‘wife and stepson’

A policeman has been accused of publicly shooting and killing three people, including his ‘wife and stepson’, in Kushtia.

The shooting took place at a market at the Customs intersection of the city’s MA Rahim Road (PTI Road) around 11 am on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.

Witnesses said locals flocked to the ground floor of the market around 10:45 am when they heard gunshots. They found a man and a woman lying on the floor of the market, the body of a child lying near the entrance and a man holding a revolver. When the man with the gun threatened the crowd by raising his weapon, several hundred people began attacking him with stones and brickbats.

The man with the gun realised his predicament and threw down his weapon, after which locals took him into custody and informed police.

The armed man has been identified as ASI Shoumen Kumar, a resident of Magura, according to Kushtia Model Police OC Sabbirul Islam. Shoumen was assigned to Khulna’s Fultala Police Station.

The three wounded people were brought to Kushtia General Hospital around 11 am, where doctors declared them dead, said hospital resident Dr Tapash Kumar Sarkar.

The dead were identified as bKash worker Shakil Khan, 28, Asma Khatun, 34, and Asma’s son Robin, 7.

“During the interrogation, Shoumen said the deceased Asma was his wife and Robin her son from her previous relationship. Our initial understanding is that Asma had an affair with bKash worker Shakil or that there was some trouble with financial transactions. We are investigating all aspects of the situation.”