Teen held for murder of stepmother, her 2 kids

Police arrested a 17-year old boy and sent him to jail on Friday for the murder of his stepmother and her two children in Sylhet Sadar upazila.

Police are also looking for the boy's biological mother for allegedly planning the murder with her son.

The victims were identified as Rubaiya Begum, 30, her daughter Maha Begum, 9, and son Tahsin Hossain, 7. They were stabbed to death on Thursday night.

A case was filed against the boy and his biological mother, Sultana Begum Rumi, with Shahporan Police Station the next day.

According to Rubaiya's brother Anwar Hossain, the mother-son duo had pre-planned the murder and the boy was provoked by his mother to kill his stepmother and step-siblings over property-related issues, said Syed Anisur Rahman, officer-in-charge of the police station. The boy allegedly tried to set the victims' house on fire after the murder was committed.

On information from neighbours, a police team rushed to the spot and detained the teenage boy.

After being produced before a Sylhet court, he was sent to jail on Friday, the OC said, adding that police was trying to arrest Sultana.

All three victims were taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, where Rubaiya and Maha were declared dead. Tahsin died a couple of hours later while undergoing treatment.

The killer's father Abdal Hossain, 42, is a shopkeeper. He was at work when the incident happened.

One of their relatives said Abdal's first wife lives in their village home with the 17-year old, while Abdal lived with Rubaiya and their two children in a house at Mirer Mahalla.

Abdal's first son recently began living with his father to help with his business.

Confessing to the killings, the boy said he was furious since his stepmother "did not take proper care of him", the OC said.