An elderly woman was strangled to death when she tried to save her daughter-in-law from being ‘raped’ at Deichar village in Faridganj upazila of Chandpu on Thursday night.

The deceased was identified as Jahanara Begum, 57, wife of expatriate Younus Miah of the village, said Shah Alam, officer-in-charge of Faridganj Police Station.

Being informed, police recovered the body on Friday morning and sent to Chandpur General Hospital Morgue for autopsy, he added.

The miscreants might be hiding inside victim’s house overnight. When Jahanara sensed their presence, they strangled her, said Afzal Hossain, Additional Superintendent of Police.

Later, they took daughter-in-law of Jahanara outside the house through backdoor and violated her, police said quoting the ‘raped’ victim.

Two separate cases for murder and rape were filed with the police station, said police.

After visiting the spot, Chandpur Superintendent of Police Shamsunnahar said that drives were on to detain the culprits.