Joynal Abedin Khan :The killing of hotel boy Riyad Hossain reportedly by Gharowa Restaurant owner at Motijheel Ariful Islam Sohel has raised public outrage as people are raising question as to why teenage boys are falling victims to the whims of powerful people at all level. Earlier powerful locals in Sylhet tortured Rajon to death and there was no explanation of the killing other than expression of bad taste and sickened mind. Two other boys were later killed in Khulna and Bagerhat. The hotel owner has shot Riyad dead this time reportedly in a whimsical shoot out game. Psychologists have explained the mindset of the criminals as demonstration of power in a lawless state of society. Most such perpetrators are owners of easy money or ruling party operatives who believe that they have their impunity from any crime. Whimsical cruelty is thus ending in killing, said Prof Shah Ehsan Habib of the department of Sociology of Dhaka University explaining the behaviour. Knowledgeable sources said killer Sohel is very close to the ruling party and friends and family members of the victim said police is already at a hide and seek game to let the killer move at large.An employee of the hotel said, “Police are trying to avert the arrest of the killer and the hotel owner Sohel a supporter of ruling party Awami League is getting protection. He said Riyad was shot dead by Sohel inside the Restaurant in the small hours of Wednesday. A relative of the killer said, “Sohel has been living at Peer Shaheb Gali in Shantinagar under Paltan Police Station. His father was General Secretary of Naria Upazila Awami League unit and Chairman of Japsha Union Parishad in the Upazila.”Sohel occupied ownership of the restaurant from his uncles and cousins after the death of his father about four years ago. “He was isolated from relatives and was practicing power in the name of ruling party.” Victim’s elder brother Ripan Hasan said, on charge of stealing a mobile phone and Tk 5,500 Sohel was torturing Riyad for few days. On the fateful night, Sohel assaulted the victim tying his hands on back side and then shot him. At on stage, he carried Riyad by his private car to the victim’s mess at Shwamibagh around 1:30am.”Before his death, Riyad was also allegedly kept tied up and beaten over several days inside the restaurant building.Ripon said he contacted the restaurant manager Shafique and owner Ariful to pay off the money his brother allegedly stole. But he was killed.Riad was allegedly taken to a house in Wari’s Shwamibagh, where the restaurant employees resided together.Riyad’s colleague named Jasim initially claimed that Riyad was shot dead by muggers when four of the hotel employees were taking Tk 220,000 to Ariful’s house. But the police later received Ripon’s statement and found that the restaurant staffs were lying as the owner had told them to do so. Later, Ripon filed a case with Wari police station accusing Ariful and Shafique.DMC Forensic Department head Assistant Professor Abu Shama said Riyad died from a gunshot wound but there were several injury marks on his body including signs of rope burns on his arms and legs.Wari Police Station motioned its inquest report, Riyad was died due to much bleeding after shooting. Bullet injuries marks were seen several parts of his body. Motijheel police detained Shafique and 22 other hotel employees and they were taken to Wari Police Station for questioning, said Wari police OC Tapon Chandra Shaha. Police are now trying to locate Ariful. “The hotel owner shot the boy and ensured the dead when the boy received severe injuries in an indiscriminate beating by some staff of the hotel, Nurul Haque, Deputy Commissioner of Wari Division under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) told The New Nation on Thursday that Sohel made a ‘drama of mugging incident. Hotel’s CCTV camera showed the footage.He also asked the all employees of the hotel to publish the same ‘false tale’ to the people, the DC said. A primary investigation revealed that Sohel shot the victim at his under-construction building in Shwamibagh.
