In a shocking incident in Harindi village under Sreepur upazila of Magura district, an entire family was drugged unconscious during the night of Tuesday, May 27, and looted of their valuables. The criminals made off with gold jewelry, cash, and other possessions after rendering the family members senseless, allegedly using sedatives. The victims are currently being treated at Magura 250-bed District Hospital.
The targeted home belongs to Himangshu Shikhor Roy, a former president of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad’s Sreepur upazila unit and a respected retired school headmaster. His son, Dr. Himadri Shikhor Roy, a professor in the English department at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Sylhet, confirmed the details.
According to Dr. Himadri, his father Himangshu (85) had been in poor health for some time. His paternal uncle Kishore Kumar Roy (72) and aunt Chandana Roy (60) would usually stay with Himangshu during the night. On the night of the incident, the family had kept the veranda grill open due to medical reasons, although the main gate was locked.
The family members were awake until around midnight. It is suspected that sometime after that, the intruders either entered by climbing the boundary wall or were already hiding inside the house. They likely used sedatives—possibly sprayed or administered through food—to render the family unconscious before looting the home.
On Wednesday morning, around 8:30 AM, Himangshu’s brother-in-law, Manoranjan Roy, visited the house and found no one responding. Entering through a side door, he discovered that all rooms were in disarray and the three residents were lying unconscious. They were immediately rushed to the district hospital.
Dr. Pallab Kumar Saha, an emergency department physician at the hospital, stated that while the victims are now in stable condition, full recovery will take time. He added that initial symptoms indicate the use of some form of sedative, but laboratory tests are needed to confirm the exact substance.
Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr. Mamunur Rashid added, “The three were brought in Wednesday morning. There were no visible injuries, but they were all unconscious and remain under treatment.”
Sreepur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Idris Ali told the media, “Police responded immediately after receiving the report. As all residents were unconscious, we couldn’t collect initial statements. However, we are treating the matter seriously and investigating to identify and apprehend those involved.”
Anannya Roy, daughter of Kishore Kumar Roy, said, “When I arrived at my father’s house, I found my parents and uncle unconscious. We rushed them to the hospital. My father’s condition was initially critical. Now they have regained consciousness, but are still unable to speak. My mother’s gold ornaments are missing, along with cash and other valuables. The full extent of the loss will be known once the family members recover.”
Local residents expressed deep concern over the incident. Himangshu Shikhor Roy is widely respected in the area, both as an educator and as a former religious community leader. The event has caused widespread anxiety in the neighborhood.
Interestingly, the main gate was found locked from the inside, raising questions about the nature of the intrusion. Some residents suspect that the crime may have been premeditated or involved an insider. However, the police have yet to confirm these theories, and the investigation is ongoing.
As of now, no official complaint has been filed. The family intends to take legal action once the victims have fully recovered. Local authorities and law enforcement are monitoring the situation closely and continuing their efforts to track down the perpetrators.
Publication Date: 29 May, 2025
Reports published in various newspapers on this issue: prothomalo, dhakapost, amarsangbad, kalbela
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