It was just rumour of demeaning Holy Quran

It was just a rumour about desecrating the Holy Quran that led to the brutal killing of Abu Yunus Md Sahidunnabi Jewel in Lalmonirhat, says a NHRC probe body.

The 50-year-old victim, who was beaten up and burnt to death by a mob on October 29, had not desecrated the holy book, said Al-Mahmud Faizul Kabir, the head of the three-member team formed by the National Human Rights Commission.

At a press briefing at Burimari Dak Bungalow, Kabir, director (complaints and enquiry) at the NHRC, said they visited the scene of the incident, Burimari Jame Mosque and adjacent areas, and took testimony of witnesses and locals since yesterday morning.

"After talking to the imam and the khadem at the mosque, we are convinced that the victim, Jewel, did not desecrate the Holy Quran," he said.

Some of the witnesses gave different versions of the incident and it is being investigated whether the incident was pre-planned or not, mentioned Kabir.

"A rumour about Jewel desecrating the Holy Quran spread… we are working to get answers to a number of questions. The whole thing will be clear to us as soon as we get the answers."

He further said it is also being probed why outsiders were at the scene and where did they come from.

"We are investigating and will submit a report to the commission within a week," he added.

Jewel was beaten up and burnt to death by the mob at Burimari Bazar in Patgram upazila in the district after a rumour about desecrating the Holy Quran inside the mosque spread in the area on Thursday evening.

Jewel, who was from Rangpur, had worked as a librarian at Rangpur Cantonment Public School and College. He had graduated from Dhaka University.

On behalf of his family, police and Burimari Union Parishad filed three cases over the incident. Law enforcers are conducting drives to arrest those involved in it.

Meanwhile, Jewel's family members buried his charred remains at his ancestral home in Pirgachha village yesterday.