Punishment to killers demanded

Local people, including women and children, formed a human chain under the banner of Shokahato Pouro Thakurgaonbashi (shell-shocked people of Thakurgaon Municipality) at Thakurgaon Intersection in the town yesterday, demanding exemplary punishment to the killers of Husain Imam Hira, who was killed on August 10, 2014.

They also submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Chandra Biswas, reiterating their demand.

Hira, 25, was son of Nur Islam of Santinagar area in the municipality.

Hira's father, elder sister Sima and friend Sourav Das spoke at a discussion meeting following the human chain.

The speakers alleged that though two years have passed since the murder, the investigation is going on at a snail's pace, and the cohorts of 'butcher Zakir' are still at large.

Quoting locals, police said Hira and his friend Zakir Hossain, 26, son of late Nazrul Islam of the same area, engaged in an altercation in the first week of August, 2014.

As a sequel to the altercation, Zakir along with several youths went to Hira's house on August 10, but Hira was not at home.         

On returning home, Hira came to know that Zakir had threatened to kill him. At this, Hira went to Zakir's house at about 7:30pm and engaged in an altercation.

At one stage, Zakir stabbed Hira, leaving him seriously injured. He succumbed to his injuries on the way to Rangpur hospital.

Police arrested Zakir, his brother Khaled and his mother Khoteza Begum from Khochabari village under Thakurgaon Sadar upazila while they were fleeing.