Ashulia police arrest two suspects of Shaktiman murder

Police arrested two persons in Ashulia on Saturday for their suspected links to the murder of Naniarchar upazila chairman Shaktiman Chakma.

Both of the arrestees, Ripon Chakma and Shunil Tripura, are residents of Naniarchar in Rangamati.

On information from locals, police detained them in Burirbazar area while the two were distributing “provocative leaflets” among the Chakma community living there, said Javed Masud, inspector (investigation) of Ashulia Police Station in Dhaka.

Unidentified miscreants shot the chairman to death in front of the Upazila Parishad Complex on May 3. The next day, five people were killed in a gun attack when the victims were going to the funeral of Shaktiman in Naniarchar.

Advocate Shaktiman, 55, was a leader of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS, MN Larma faction).

Inspector Javed said the two arrestees were handing out leaflets in support of Hill Women's Federation and Parbatya Chattagram Pahari Chhatra Parishad.

Police, however, are yet to confirm whether they are accused in the murder case. They will be handed over to Rangamati police, he said.

Following the murder of Shaktiman, 46 people were sued. Another murder case was filed over the May 4 attack which left five of his followers dead.

Earlier, police arrested two persons -- PCJSS's Baghaichari upazila president Provat Kumar Chakma and Sajek Union Parishad Chairman Nelson Chakma -- over the killing of Shaktiman.