Slain Shahidunnabi Jewel's friend in a statement to police said Jewel did not demean the Holy Quran but had a bitter argument with the Burimari mosque khadem after Asr prayers.

Sultan Rubaiyat Sumon, 50, who was with Jewel on October 29, added that khadem Jobed Ali called in some people who started beating them up on the mosque premises, said Abida Sultana, superintendent of Lalmonirhat police, citing the written statement.

Sumon went back to his Rangpur home yesterday after his treatment in a Lalmonirhat hospital.

He went to Lalmonirhat along with Jewel, a former librarian of Rangpur Cantonment School and College, on a motorbike to get medicine for Jewel from Burimari land port that day, he mentioned in the statement.

Jewel had developed psychological issues after losing his job earlier this year, his family claimed.

Sumon said they went to the mosque to offer Asr prayers. He prayed on the verandah of the mosque as he was a little late to join. At the end of the prayers, everyone left but Jewel was not coming out.

Sumon entered the mosque and saw Jewel arguing with the khadem. He apologised to the khadem on behalf of Jewel, Sumon said in the statement.

But the khadem called in people who started beating up Jewel and him.

A local union parishad member rescued them and took them to a union parishad room next to the mosque, he said.

"The mob broke down the doors and [window] grills of the union parishad [building] and started beating up Jewel. At that time, the OC of Patgram Police Station managed to get me out and hide me on the second floor of the union parishad [building] and took me down to a nearby tin-roofed shop," he said.

"First I was admitted to Patgram Upazila Health Complex and later to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital for treatment," he said.

Abida told journalists that they were conducting raids and arresting those involved in the incident after seeing video footage.

Police arrested five more people in connection with the brutal killing of Jewel.

They were arrested at their homes in Burimari area early yesterday, said Patgram Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sumon Kumar Mohanta.

So far, 21 people have been arrested, including the mosque khadem.

Of the five newly arrested, two are named accused in the case and the others were identified in video footage, the OC said.

Jewel, 50, was beaten and burnt to death in Burimari area of ​​Patgram upazila over rumours of insulting the Holy Quran.

Saiful Alam, cousin of the deceased, SI Shahjahan Ali on behalf of the police and Union Parishad Chairman Abu Sayeed Newaz Nishat filed three cases in this connection.

5 MINS BLACKOUT FOR JEWEL

Lights in Shalbon area under Rangpur City Corporation went off for five minutes at 7:00pm yesterday as a protest for the brutal killing of Jewel.

Shahidul Akter Firoz, former councillor of the ward, said the residents went down to the street turning off the lights in their homes and demonstrated.