Rifat Murder Case: Four accused still at large

A month has passed since the murder of Barguna youth Rifat Sharif, but the police are yet to trace four accused named in the FIR of the murder case.

Police claimed that the murder was a result of an internal conflict within a “local youth gang”. They made the claim on the basis of the confessional statements of 15 arrestees.

Law enforcers expressed optimism that they would be able to submit the charge sheet in the murder case to a local court soon as the probe was nearing its end.

Rifat, 25-year-old internet service provider, was hacked by some youths in front of Barguna Government College in broad day light on June 26. Later that day, he died of his injuries at Barishal Medical College Hospital.

The victim’s father filed the murder case with Barguna Sadar Police Station against 12 people.

Barguna police have so far arrested 16 people, including eight named in the First Information Report (FIR), and Rifat’s wife Ayesha Siddika Minni.

The four accused who are still on the run are Mohaiminul Islam, Rakibul Islam Rifat, Musa and Rayhan.

According to police database, Mohaiminul faces two cases filed with Barguna Sadar Police Station in 2017 and Musa four cases filed with the same police station between 2017 to 2019. Interestingly, the two had never been arrested earlier.

Sources said Musa was locally known as a snatcher and druggie. Mohaiminul also used to snatch cell phones from people.

However, Rakibul and Rayhan were facing no cases.

Humayun Kabir, inspector (investigation) of Barguna Sadar Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, said they were conducting drives to arrest the four suspects.

“We have almost completed our investigation and are hopeful about submitting the charge sheet soon,” he told The Daily Star on Thursday.

Police already collected enough evidence to complete the probe, the OC added.

Asked about the masterminds of the murder, Humayun said they already arrested the major suspects in the case.

“Only after completing the investigation, we will be able to say it clearly if anyone other than the accused were behind the murder,” he said.

RIFAT’S FATHER RAISES ALLEGATIONS

Meanwhile, Rifat’s father Abdul Halim Dulal Sharif yesterday alleged that his son was framed by three policemen for carrying narcotics and he had been behind bars for 17 days in the case around one and a half months before being killed.

Speaking at the press conference at Barguna Press Club, he alleged that Minni’s parents were involved in the murder as they hid information about her “previous marriage with Nayan”, the prime accused in the case.

Dulal claimed that Minni’s parents were trying to divert the investigation by demanding transfer of the murder case to the Police Bureau of Investigation and the Criminal Investigation Department.

He demanded law enforcers interrogate Minni’s parents and arrest them. 

Denying the allegation, Minni’s father Mozammel Hossain said they didn’t believe that their daughter was married to Nayan.

“We are requesting the transfer of the case as the investigation is not going on properly,” he told this newspaper.

DOCTORS EXAMINE MINNI

Doctors yesterday said Minni, now in Barguna jail, had no major health issues.

Dr Habibur Rahman, medical officer at Barguna Civil Surgeon’s Office, went to the jail with a female doctor around 11:00am and came out from there around half an hour later after examining her.

“Minni has been suffering from headache. She is also having difficulty in sleeping at night,” said the physician.

Primary medication has been prescribed for Minni and she would be re-examined in three days, said Habibur, adding that they asked the jail authorities to put her on bed rest until she recovered fully.