5 murdered in 4 days in Kushtia

Law and order in Kushtia made a sudden nosedive this week with at least five people killed between Monday and Thursday.

An increase in criminal activities including robberies, clashes, and rapes marked the week.

People expressed their fear about the situation while law enforcers apprehend further deterioration of law and order in the district rife with activities of underground armed groups.

According to different sources including police records, at least five incidents of killings, two robberies, two clashes and a rape took place in the district this week.

On Monday morning police recovered a dead body of a 22-year old unknown man from a field of Dobail village under Mirpur upazila. The body bore marks of indiscriminate hacking. Police sent the body to Kushtia general hospital for an autopsy. They could not however identify the victim or the cause behind the killing.

Armed robbers stabbed to death a truck helper Monday night when he tried to resist their attempt to loot the truck. He was identified as Ful Babu, 25, of Udimary in Pirojpur.

Police said armed robbers barricading the Kushtia-Bheramara highway looted at least 30 trucks and eight buses.

On the same night, Mannan Ali, 24, of Minapara under the district headquarters was slaughtered. Mannan, son of Minhaj Ali, was a mechanic.

On Tuesday, police recovered the body of Azam, 27, from a ditch at Charsadipur village under Kumarkhali upazila. The assailants took Azam to Charsadipur abducting him from Hina village under the district headquarters of Pabna on Sunday, police said.

On Wednesday night, Sahidul Islam, 35, at Nalkhola under the district headquarters was found slaughtered. Police said Sahidul, general secretary of Kushtia district Nasiman Transport Association, was returning home from Alamdanga in Chuadanga.

Two robberies also took place in the district this week. One was at Bheramara on Tuesday night and other was at Kumarkhali on Thursday night.

A girl was raped in the district town on Wednesday. The victim is a student of class nine at Brakhada High School. She is being treated at a clinic in the town.

Several clashes also took place in the district within the period.

When contacted, Superintendent of Kushtia Police Masud-Ul-Hasan said they are alert to the situation.

"Overall law and order in the district has been good. Special steps have been taken to arrest the criminals and we hope to succeed", he said.