Police have claimed to have solved the murder of Mohammad Karim in Raozan, Chattogram, who was allegedly targeted over suspicion that he was involved in stealing a motorcycle.
According to Chattogram District Detective Branch (DB) police, Karim was lured to the Keranihat Bazar area of Raozan, where he was first shot and later hacked with sharp weapons.
After the killing, the weapons and ammunition allegedly used in the crime were hidden inside an abandoned cattle farm.
Four people have been arrested in connection with the murder. Based on information provided by the suspects, police recovered a locally made LG firearm, an air gun, cartridges, a machete and other evidence.
Chattogram Superintendent of Police Mohammad Masud Alam disclosed the details at a press briefing at the Chattogram Police Superintendent's Office in the city's Two No. Gate area on Monday (September 14).
The arrested suspects are Mohammad Selim, 50, Syed Mohammad Shukkur, 27, Mohammad Javed, 28, and Mohammad Alamin, 29, all from Raozan's Urkirchar Union.
Police recovered one locally made iron LG, one air gun, two rounds of 12-bore lead cartridges, one machete and an iron grill cutter from them.
Police said the deceased, Mohammad Karim, was a resident of Harpara village in Urkirchar Union of Raozan, although he lived in the Aman Bazar area. He had 10 cases filed against him, including cases related to theft, drugs, robbery and snatching.
Masud Alam said Karim was killed in public at around 8:30pm on September 3 in the Keranihat area of Urkirchar Union under Raozan Police Station.
A group of people allegedly arrived at the location in a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw and surrounded Karim. At one point, he was shot. The attackers then struck him on the head and neck with sharp weapons before fleeing, the police official said.
According to the SP, around 10 days before the killing, a motorcycle belonging to Azgar, the maternal uncle of a man named Parvez, was stolen. Parvez suspected Karim of being involved in the theft.
Karim was reportedly pressured to return the motorcycle, but he denied having any involvement in the theft. Parvez allegedly became angry over his response.
On the day of the incident, Karim was allegedly brought to the Keranihat Bazar area through one of Parvez's sources. Police said Parvez and the other accused then acted together to shoot and subsequently hack Karim to death.
Chattogram Additional Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Mohammad Russell said investigators initially arrested Syed Mohammad Shukkur and Mohammad Javed from the Kaptai Road intersection area under Chandgaon Police Station in Chattogram city.
The weapons and ammunition allegedly used in the murder had been hidden at Parvez's abandoned cattle farm in the Magdai area of West Guzra Union in Raozan.
At around 12:15am on Sunday (September 13), police conducted a raid at the farm. Following information provided by the arrested suspects, officers recovered the weapons and other evidence from inside a cement tub where they had allegedly been specially concealed.
Police later arrested Mohammad Selim and Mohammad Alamin from the South Madarsha area under Hathazari Police Station.
Police said an examination of station records and the Criminal Database Management System (CDMS) found that multiple cases had been filed against Parvez at different police stations, including Raozan, over allegations involving murder, robbery, arms offences, violence against women and children, and explosives.
Separate cases under the Arms Act have been filed against the four arrested suspects in connection with the Karim murder case.
Police said operations are continuing to arrest Parvez and other fugitives allegedly involved in the killing.
