Staff Reporter :Police on Friday arrested three more suspects belonging to Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a banned militant outfit, in connection with the murder of Hindu priest Jogeshwar Dash Adhikari after raiding different places of Nilphamari and Panchagarh districts. They also claimed that they have unearthed the conspiracy and blueprint behind the killing of the priest at Debiganj Upazila in Panchagarh district on February 21.During the raid, two pistols, three magazines, one grenade, three crude bombs, five bullets and three sharp weapons were recovered from their possessions. “We have unearthed the conspiracy and blueprint behind the murder of the priest and arrested three more suspects said to be activists of banned militant outfit JMB, for their suspected link to the murder,” Deputy Inspector General (Rangpur Range) Humayun Kabir told journalists at Debiganj Upazila premises.He said one of the arrestees was identified as Abdul Hares, 32, of Kalirdanga village in the upazila. Humayun Kabir said five JMB men were directly involved in the killing mission and of them 3 were arrested in the early hours of Friday.The two other JMB men who took part in the killing mission will be hunted down soon, he said, adding their main target is to destabilize the country.The JMB men carried out the attack in a bid to destabilise the country and create panic among the Hindu community, he added.With this, a total of six people have been arrested so far in connection with the killing, said the DIG.Earlier, three people — two suspected members of JMB and a Shibirman –were arrested in connection with the Hindu priest’s murder.A gang of criminals slaughtered the priest Jogeswar Dash Adhikari, 50, while arranging his offerings for morning puja at his Sri Sri Shonto Gaurio Temple of Shonapota around 6:30am on February 21.They hacked him indiscriminately, chased him into a house behind the temple and slit his throat there, leaving him dead on the spot.The attackers fled the scene firing gunshots and exploding bombs that left two devotees — Gopal Chandra Roy, 35, and Nitai Das –injured.Earlier, at least two clerics were attacked in last five months across the country.Pastor Luke Sarker of Pabna and Italian Pastor Piero Parolari of Dinajpur were attacked in their homes on October 5 and November 18 last year respectively.
