The yard of a modest home in Ghonirampur village, Taraganj upazila of Rangpur, is dressed in vibrant colours. A decorated gate welcomes guests, a festive pandal is set, and in the kitchen, relatives prepare meals -- three goats have been slaughtered to feed the wedding guests.
But beneath the surface of celebration lies a deep, unshakable sorrow.
Nupur Robidas, the eldest daughter of the late Ruplal Robidas, is getting married today. Her father, who should have blessed her with turmeric and joy, is not here. He was beaten to death by a mob.
As lights flicker on and the wedding begins, Nupur's heart remains heavy with grief.
On the night of August 9, 48-year-old Ruplal and his nephew-in-law, 47-year-old Pradip Lal Robidas, were killed by a mob near Burirhat Bottola on the Taraganj–Kazirhat road. The two were returning home on a battery-run three-wheeler when they were accused of theft by locals. They were stopped, interrogated, and then brutally beaten.
That very next day, the family was supposed to sit down together to finalise Nupur's wedding date. Instead, they faced a double funeral.
The wedding was postponed indefinitely. Now, nearly three months later, the family has gathered the strength to carry out the ceremony, even as the scars remain fresh.
The groom, Kamol Robidas, is from Chandanpat union in Rangpur Sadar upazila.
"This wedding was my husband's dream, and I am fulfilling it today," said Maloti Rani Robidas, the bride's mother, her voice strained with emotion. "If he were alive, I wouldn't have had to borrow money. I'm arranging everything somehow."
She added, "Pradip Lal Robidas, my nephew-in-law, was like a guardian to our family. He was supposed to come finalise the wedding date and meet the groom. But the day before, both he and my husband were killed."
As per Hindu traditions, Maloti Rani has arranged gold ornaments, household items, and a feast for nearly 400 guests.
Ruplal's teenage son, Joy Robidas, a class 9 student, has stepped into his father's shoes. "With our father gone, I had to take responsibility," he said. "I bought the goats, decorated the house, bought gifts for my sister and her husband. Managing all the expenses has been really hard."
Wearing her bridal attire, Nupur spoke through tears. "Even though it's my wedding day, the pain of losing my father hasn't gone away. His killers still walk freely. Everyone knows who they are, but no one speaks. The police haven't arrested them."
Her father, Ruplal, worked as a cobbler on the footpaths of Taraganj Bazar. Among his three children, Nupur is a student at Taraganj Degree College, while the youngest, Rupa, is in class 6.
Taraganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rubel Rana said, "After Ruplal's death, the upazila administration gave Tk 1 lakh from its fund, and the Department of Social Services contributed Tk 10,000 for Nupur's wedding. We've also arranged an education allowance for her, a widow's allowance for her mother, and a stall space for Joy."
Police confirmed that on the night of the incident, locals stopped Ruplal and Pradip on suspicion of stealing a three-wheeler. What began as questioning escalated into a deadly mob assault. Both men died at the scene.
The next day, Maloti Rani filed a murder case with Taraganj Police Station against 700 unidentified individuals. Based on video footage of the lynching, police have since arrested six suspects.