An elderly man was hacked to death by assailants on his way to a local mosque for Fajr prayers in Rajpat village of Kashiani upazila in Gopalganj district on Tuesday.
The deceased was identified as Abdul Kuddus Sheikh, 65, a resident of Rajpat village and son of late Hashem Sheikh. He worked as a painter.
According to his daughter, Nilufa Begum, her father had a daily routine of going to mosque for Fajr prayers. On Tuesday morning, as he made his way to Rajpat Dakshinpara Markaz Mosque, assailants ambushed him near Kamal Sheikh's pond, attacking him indiscriminately and leaving him in the water before fleeing the scene.
Nearby residents heard his cries, discovered him, and informed his family. Abdul Kuddus was taken to Gopalganj 250-Bed General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Nilufa mentioned that items including a knife, a jacket, and two pairs of shoes were found at the scene, which the police have since recovered.
Kashiani Police Station officer-in-charge Md. Shafiuddin Khan told that police have visited the crime scene and begun an investigation.
"We are committed to identifying the perpetrators and bringing them to justice swiftly," he said, adding that a case is being prepared. However, the motive behind the killing remains unclear as investigations continue.
