Death of Abrar: Prothom Alo editor, 8 others indicted

Prothom Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman and eight others have been indicted in a case filed over the death of Dhaka Residential Model College student Naimul Abrar Rahat at a Kishor Alo programme last year.

Judge KM Emrul Kayesh of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka today discharged its Deputy Editor Anisul Hoque as it found no grounds to frame charges against him.

The other accused are Kabir Bakul, head of event and activation of Kishor Alo; Shuvashish Pramanik Shuvo and Shah Paran Tushar, assistants for event and activation of Kishor Alo; Mahitul Alam Pavel, senior assistant editor of Kishor Alo; and four stage decorators -- Jasim Uddin Topu, Mosharraf Hossain, Md Sujan and Kamrul Hawlader.

The court also fixed December 24 for starting the trial of the case.

Matiur and eight others, now on bail, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after the court read out the charges to them.

Abrar, the ninth-grader, was electrocuted during the anniversary celebration of Kishor Alo, a magazine of the Prothom Alo, on November 1 last year.

His father filed the case with the Fourth Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka on November 6, alleging negligence leading to the death.

READ MORE: Prothom Alo editor sued over death of Naimul Abrar