Police quoting family sources said Sirajul Islam of Barahir Char village of Sadar upazila used to torture his wife Julekha for dowry since their marriage three years ago. On Saturday night he picked up a quarrel with his pregnant wife over the dowry demand. When she expressed her inability to bring the money from her parents Sirajul beat and strangled her.

Later the culprit went into hiding leaving the body on the bank of the nearby Kaliganga river. A case was filed.

In another incident, Jewel Mondol, 7, son of Hossain Mondol of Jamsha village, was strangled by snatchers at the neighbouring Dudghata village in Singair upazila on Thursday.

Police said when Jewel went to visit his grandfather's house at Dudghata local miscreants called him out of the house and strangled the boy after snatching his gold chain and ring.

Police arrested Royal, 18, and Atwar, 17.