Woman Minor Son Murdered In Deoghar Village

A 40-year-old woman and her 14-year-old son were allegedly murdered by unidentified people inside their house on Monday night in Deoghar district, police said.

Police further said that the incident occurred at Nawadih village under Mahapur Panchayat in Sonaraythari police station limits of the district.

The deceased have been identified as Rubeda Bibi, 40, and her son Musharraf Ansari, 14, a Class VIII student of Upgraded High School, Nanidih. According to family members, the incident took place between 1 am and 2 am.

People close to the development said that the assailants knocked on the door and gained entry after it was opened by the victim’s daughter-in-law. The intruders allegedly overpowered the family members, tied the hands of the daughter-in-law, forced her to remain in a corner of the house, and then slit the throats of Rubeda and her son before fleeing the scene.

The family’s elder son, who works in Durgapur, West Bengal, was away at the time of the incident. After the attackers escaped, the daughter-in-law alerted nearby relatives, who informed the police.

A police team from Sonaraythari police station reached the village early on Tuesday. Deoghar Superintendent of Police (SP) Praveen Pushkar also visited the crime scene along with forensic experts and senior police officers. The forensic team collected evidence while investigators questioned family members and local residents.

The police are also examining whether the double murder is linked to the killing of Rubeda’s husband, Riyaz Ansari, who was murdered in July 2022 following a neighbourhood dispute. Five people were later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in that case and are presently out on bail. Investigators are verifying whether the earlier enmity has any connection with the latest crime, while also exploring other possible motives.

“The investigation is progressing from all possible angles. The forensic team has examined the crime scene and evidence is being collected scientifically. Our priority is to identify the perpetrators, establish the motive and ensure their arrest at the earliest,” the SP said.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, and further investigation is underway.