Police altered FIR to save killers, claims family

Family members of Taherpur Jubo League leader Chanchal Kumar Chondo, who was hacked to death on Saturday, alleged that police have altered the description in the first information report (FIR) to protect real killers.

They also claimed that the killers have blessings of local lawmaker Enamul Haque.

A photo of the lawmaker receiving a flower bouquet from an accused, Abdur Razzak alias Art Babu, is now being circulated in the social media.

Chanchal's family and locals made the allegation yesterday when Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner (DC) SM Abdul Kader visited Chanchal's house in Taherpur Masterpara area of Bagmara upazila.

The slain leader's brother Amol Kumar said they have told the DC that police refused to record a case on Sunday when their elder brother Nirmol Kumar went to Bagmara Police Station with a complaint mentioning 18 names as suspected killers of his brother.

Nirmol in his complaint mentioned that Mahbubur Rahman Biplob commanded the gang of 18 assailants and Abdur Razzak alias Art Babu -- a regional commander of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party in the 1990s -- stabbed Chanchal in the back.

Amol said police arrived at their house later that night and pressurised his brother Nirmol to sign a different complaint paper that mentioned nine names. After failing to make Nirmol comply, police turned to Amol and he signed the paper. 

“We are a Hindu family. When police came at the dead of night and asked me to sign, I felt threatened and signed,” Amol told a group of reporters over the phone put on loudspeaker.

In the new FIR police recorded, Mahbubur Rahman Biplob's name has been dropped and Abdur Razzak alias Art Babu is no longer accused for stabbing Chanchal. One Masud Rana stabbed Chanchal at the instruction of Mominul Islam, the FIR now reads.

Nasim Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bagmara Police Station, said they arrested Biplob the same day of the murder. But since he is not accused in the murder case, they showed him arrested under section 54.

When contacted, the Rajshahi DC SM Abdul Kader said he was aware of the allegations, and would discuss the matter with senior police officials in Rajshahi.

“The murder took place at a market in broad daylight, so many people witnessed it. If investigated properly, the real killers have no chance of escaping,” added Kader, who is also the district magistrate.

Regarding the alleged alteration to the FIR, OC Nasim of Bagmara Police Station said, “Why would police do that? We recorded whatever [information] they gave us.”

If the family has anything else to say about the murder, they can still include that in the FIR, he also said.

Speaking about his photo with one of the murder-accused, lawmaker Enamul Haque said, a photograph does not say everything. “Whoever the killer is, [he] must face the law... I have no sympathy for a killer. How would I know if a person is a killer or not whenever someone presents me flowers?” 

Taherpur municipality Jubo League Vice President Chanchal Kumar Chondo, 42, was stabbed at Taherpur market on December 1 around 12:30pm while he was on his way home with his three-year son.

He was declared dead later the same day at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.