Members of law enforcing agencies detained at least 12 persons after raiding the residence of a local Awami League leader and councilor Nur Hossain, the prime accused in the case of sensational seven-murder after abduction, at Shimrile of Siddhirganj in Narayanganj on Saturday.
The police seized a navy-blue blood stained HIACE microbus from the garage of the house. A blood stained shirt and a passport of Nur Hossain were also recovered by the police from the almirah of Nur Hossain’s house. The police seized at least 100 bamboo sticks from a corner of his residence during the operation.
Of the detained persons, three were arrested from his house while others were picked up from different areas. But the police did not disclose anyone’s identity immediately. The law enforcers however failed to nab Nur Hossain during the raid. He has been absconding since the time of filing of the case against him.
Nazrul’s wife Selina Islam Beauty filed a case against five ruling party men including Nur Hossain, Councilor of Ward-4 of Narayanganj City Corporation [NCC] and Siddhirganj unit
Awami League Vice-President and General Secretary Haji Md Yasin after the abduction.
Additional DIG of Dhaka Range Golam Faruk said a blood-stained shirt was recovered from the house and it would be checked whether it was blood of human bodies. “The passport of Nur Hossain will also be checked,” he said.
Earlier, a joint force comprising several hundred members of RAB and police conducted the three-hour raid cordoning the house at Shimrile intersection of Teckpara area at Siddhirganj at around 10:30am. They started intensive search at the house at around 11:00am. The media persons were barred from entering the scene at the time of the raids.
“Police have detained 12 men from the house of Nur Hossain for interrogating. I can’t disclose details in the interest of investigation. The forensic experts of CID are examining the evidences found in the microbus. The CID Crime Scene also collected some evidences from the residence,” said Mohid Uddin SP of Narayanganj after the operation.
He said, “We have conducted the raid based on specific information that some suspected persons gathered there for holding a meeting.”
Responding to a question of chance of fleeing of the prime accused from the country, the SP said, “We think Nur Hossain cannot leave the country. He is still very much in the country.”
Meanwhile, the police in a major development recovered the cellular phone of slain lawyer Chandan Sarkar from the Dhaka city and arrested three suspected persons with specific evidences in connection with the Narayanganj seven murders.
Refusing to disclose the identity of those arrested, Additional SP Shahidul Islam said, “Three persons were arrested from the house suspecting their involvement in the sensational abduction and killings. Among the arrestees, one person has been nabbed from Dhaka along with a mobile phone set used by lawyer Chandan Sarkar.”
“The law enforcers, led by SP Dr Khandakar Mahid Uddin, interrogated the family members of Nur Hossain at that time,” he said.
Earlier on Thursday, the agitated local people set ablaze Nur Hossain’s office and other establishments when the decomposed bodies of seven persons, including Councilor of Ward-4 Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker, were recovered from the Shitalakkhya River two days following their abduction from Adalatparha area on Apr 27.
Nazrul, accused in at least 15 cases, was given death sentence for murdering a lawyer but was later acquitted by the High Court.
Meanwhile, an organization of Narayanganj lawyers organised a rally in the city demanding the arrest of all those involved in the killing of seven persons. They have also called for a daylong strike in the city for today [Sunday].
The BNP and some left leaning political parties have extended their moral support to the lawyers’ hartal programme.
