The police have discovered the body of a man at the Central Crematorium in Natore, a historic site in northern Bangladesh, alongside reports of a theft involving valuable temple items.
The stolen goods, including old-fashioned brass and copper utensils, had been stored in the century-old temple on the crematorium grounds.
The deceased, identified as Tarun Das, was approximately 45 years old and had been living at the crematorium for the past 24 years. He was the son of Kali Chandra Das from Alaipur, Natore.
Upon investigation, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Akhtar Jahan Sathi told BBC Bangla that officials from the CID and Crime Scene teams from Rajshahi had inspected the area. Initial reports suggest that miscreants may have entered the temple to steal and, in the process, committed a murder. "The man appeared somewhat mentally imbalanced, but he had been staying in the temple overnight," said UNO Sathi.
While rumours initially suggested that the victim was a temple sebait, Subal Das, the president of the temple committee, clarified that Tarun Das was not a sebait but had been spending his nights at the crematorium for over two decades. "He had lived in the city but stayed here at night," said Subal.
The police confirmed that the body was found with the victim’s hands and feet tightly bound to a bench with rope. According to Officer-in-Charge Mahbubur Rahman, the police found blood on his head, and he was declared dead at the scene.
In addition to the body, it was discovered that the temple had been burglarised. The thieves had broken the grill to enter the main temple, stealing numerous valuable items from the storeroom, including copper and brass utensils. "The thieves seemed to have taken advantage of the absence of guards at night," explained Subal. While the crematorium is heavily guarded during the day, there is no night watch, which may have provided the thieves with an opportunity.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Akhtar Jahan Sathi speculated that the man may have been tied up after witnessing the theft, possibly screaming, which led to his injuries and eventual death. However, she emphasised that the postmortem and further investigations will provide more clarity on the cause of death.
Police have filed a case regarding the theft and murder, and efforts are underway to apprehend those responsible for both the crime and the theft of temple property.