Cops took no steps despite two GDs

After being attacked three times in last six years, receiving numerous death threats, and even after filing general diaries in this regard, Shahinuddin, a trader, was attacked once again on May 16 and lost his life this time.

Last time he was attacked by a group of organised criminals in November last year, he fought for his life and survived.

This time, luck did not favour him when he was attacked by the same group yet again on May 16 in the capital's Pallabi area and died on the spot.

His mother Aklima Begum alleged that police negligence was the reason for her son's death.

Speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, she said, "Police officials take financial benefits from such attackers and that is why my son had to die. The police did not take any step to ensure his safety even after he filed a GD... There were four to five policemen near the spot [where he died], but they took no action to save him."

She said that had police provided some security, her grandson would not have had to be an orphan at the moment.

However, Kazi Wazed Ali, officer-in-charge of Pallabi Police Station, told The Daily Star yesterday that Shahinuddin filed two separate GDs for security but he did not come to the police station when he was asked to provide details.

"We then sent a police team to his home to ask about what kind of security they want… We later came to know that the victim went to meet with the attacker himself after filing the GD. So, police had nothing to do with the incident."

Asked about presence of a police team near the murder spot, the OC said that there was no police team near the spot. "Police acted soon after they learned about the incident."

They said Shahinuddin was an accused in around 26 cases filed with Pallabi police on different charges, including narcotics, arms, explosives and woman and child repression act.

He was even arrested in the last week of April and got released on bail on May 11.

THE MURDER PLOT

Shahinuddin's family has about 10 acres of land within the boundaries of a project by former lawmaker MA Awal (Lakshmipur-1) called "Alinagar Residential Area" in Burirtek Alinagar area of​​North Kalshi in Pallabi.

It was a project run by Haveli Properties Developer Limited.

Shahinuddin's father Joynuddin had been under pressure for a long time from the Haveli Properties to sell the land. Awal had started applying muscle power as Joynuddin did not agreed to sell the land, alleged the victim's family.

In early 2015, Joyunddin filed a case with a Dhaka court.

Following the filing of the case, Joynuddin sons-- Shahinuddin and Mainuddin—had locked into a dispute with Awal, former lawmaker.

Awal had been using his "cadres" to threaten the siblings. Due to continuous threats, their mother filed a GD seeking security in June 2015, sources said.

Since then, Shahinuddin came under attack by Awal's men a number of times.

His Family claims he went to file a case with Pallabi Police Station after the machete attack on November last year but police did not register. Even the attacker Sumon got released from jail after a couple of days of his arrest.

Finally on May 16, the attackers killed Shahinuddin.

SEVEN PEOPLE TOOK PART IN THE KILLING MISSION

Investigators said the attackers, in Awal's Kalabagan office, had planned to murder Shahinuddin three to four days ago.

Citing a conversation, a high official of the Rapid Action Battalion, conducting shadow investigation and requesting anonymity, said, "The attackers said they had stabbed Shahinuddin earlier but he did not die. But this time, they would not let him go alive… Awal's 'cadres' Sumon, Manik, Monir, Iqbal, Murad and Hasan took part in the murder. While planning the murder, Awal told them they could take as much money as they need, but he needs action."

Sumon had taken money from Awal for the murder and even distributed some of it to the other attackers.

Lt Col Mohammad Khairul Islam, director (intelligence) at Rab headquarters, told The Daily Star that they are now looking for two absconding members of the group and are hoping to arrest them soon.

The Detective Branch of police is now investigating into the murder.

Six people, including Awal, were arrested and two have already given confessional statements.

Manas Kumar Podder, deputy commissioner of the DB, told The Daily Star that Awal is now on remand.

"We have got some information [regarding the incident] and are analysing that. Only then we will be able to speak elaborately about the murder."