Atia Mahal Case: 3 accused remanded
A Sylhet court yesterday placed three alleged militants on five-day remand each in a case filed in connection with the sensational five-day anti-militant drive at Atia Mahal in the city's Shibbari area.
The drive, “Operation Twilight”, went on from January 24 to January 28, 2017, and resulted in the death of four suspected militants and seven other people including a high official of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).
The militants -- Jahurul Haque, his wife Arjina Begum and Hasan -- who were arrested in connection with several other militancy cases, were also shown arrested in the case, said Amulya Kumar Chowdhury, assistant commissioner (prosecution) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP).
Sylhet Metropolitan Magistrate Mamunur Rashid Siddiky granted the remand following a petition of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), the assistant commissioner said.
The three are the first people to be shown arrested in the case filed after the drive at Atia Mahal.
Saroar Zahan, additional SP of PBI in Sylhet, said, “The PBI is investigating two cases related to the Atia Mahal anti-militant drive. One was filed over the explosives recovered from the militant hideout, and another was for twin blasts near the building. The trio has been shown arrested in first case.”
During the anti-militant drive led by Bangladesh Army, four militants including a woman were killed inside the hideout.
On the evening of January 25, 2017, while the drive was ongoing, two grenades were blasted around 400 metres away from the Atia Mahal, which claimed seven lives including Rab intelligence chief Lt Col Abul Kalam Azad and two police officers.
Police filed two separate cases with Moglabazar Police Station accusing unnamed people after the operation.
Following an order of Police Headquarters on May 9 that year, PBI took over the cases from Moglabazar Police Station and started investigation from May 13.
Additional SP Saroar Zahan said, “So far there is no visible progress of the cases but we are hopeful to get something during the remand of the trio."
Arrested Jahurul Haque is brother of killed militant Monjiara Begum Alias Morjina Begum, he said.
Jahurul and his wife Arjina were arrested in a case filed for Sitakunda anti-militant drive while Hasan in an accused arrestee of Chandina and Mirsarai anti-militant drive cases, said the additional SP.
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