Jubo League leader, 4 others held over killing of student in Savar

Police have arrested four persons, including a local Jubo League leader, for their alleged involvement in the murder of a 16-year-old madrasa student in Ashulia of Savar.

Maruf Hossain Sarder, superintendent of police in Dhaka district, made the announcement at a press briefing at Savar Model Police Station this noon.

The arrestees are: Abul Hossain Apon (30), a member of Jubo League convening committee in Savar; Adil (20); Kamrul (21); and Rubel Islam (21). All the arrestees hailed from different areas in Savar.

The victim Sabuj (16) was going to his sister's house in Pabnar Tek area of Ashulia with his friend Jahidul Islam (14) on Monday from Lalmonirhat.

They reached Dhaka EPZ area around 1:30am on Monday night and met Kamrul who offered them to spend the night at a hotel and took them to a swamp area in Sreepur. There he allegedly called Abul Hossain and around 13 others and held the two boys. Then they called Sabuj's mother over phone and demanded Tk 20,000 as ransom, asking for the money to be sent through bKash.  

After the money was not sent to them immediately, the criminals beat up the two boys. At one stage, Sabuj died while Jahidul became unconscious. Thinking that they both died, the criminals left them on the bank of the swamp and fled from the scene.

On information, police went to the spot and rescued Jahidul and recovered Sabuj's body.

Later on Wednesday, Sabuj's sister Beauty Akter filed a case against unknown persons with Ashulia Police Station, said Kamruzaman, officer-in-charge of the staion.

Police then used tracked down the culprits and arrested the four persons, the OC said.

Following the arrest, the arrestees revealed that Abul Hossain has long been running youth gangs in the area to conduct crimes such as extortion and murder, among other criminal activities, OC Kamruzzaman also said.

There are at least a dozen cases filed against Abul Hosssain and his brothers Jakir Mondol and Babul. Locals alleged that they are influential in the area and no one dares to speak against them.

Following the arrest, GS Mizan, general secretary of Dhaka District Jubo League, told The Daily Star that Abul Hossain has been expelled from the organisation for breaching the disciplinary code of conduct.