Jewel’s Murder: Suspect ‘who started the rumour’ held

Detectives yesterday arrested Abul Hossain alias Hossain Ali, who allegedly spread the rumour that Abu Yunus Md Shahidunnabi Jewel demeaned the Holy Quran, in the capital's Kuril Bishwa Road area.

Hossain, 44, is the key accused in a case filed after a mob beat Jewel up and set him on fire on October 29, following the rumour that the victim had demeaned the Quran inside a mosque in Lalmonirhat's Patgram.

Investigations by detectives, district administration and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) revealed that Hossain was the first person to bring the allegation against Jewel.

Later, the rumour spread across the village and people attacked the union parishad building, breaking its window grills, collapsible gates and attacking Jewel.

The agitators also vandalised and burnt different establishments and attacked police, who had to fire rubber bullets to calm the situation. Three cases were filed following the incident.

With Hossain's arrest, 24 accused so far have been arrested. Twelve of them are accused in the murder case while 12 others are accused in the two other cases.

Hossain is a member of the mosque management committee. He had been absconding since the incident.

A team of Mirpur division of Detective Branch of police arrested Hossain Ali in a drive early yesterday while he was trying to flee to Chattogram.

"We had been working to arrest the accused following requests from Lalmonirhat police and managed to arrest him acting on a tip-off," said DB Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Toyasir Jahan, who led the drive.

After the arrest, he was handed over to Lalmonirhat police, he added.

Meanwhile, Patgram Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sumon Kumar Mohanta yesterday said the mosque committee could have quelled the mob fury, settling the issues that led to Jewel's murder, reports our correspondent in Lalmonirhat.

"The committee could have sent both the victims, Jewel and his friend Sultan Rubaiyat Sumon, back, settling the issues. But instead, they wasted time, keeping the victims at the UP office, giving the mob the chance to gather," the OC said while talking to The Daily Star.

"I was hit by stones and sticks, but I was able to save one life. It is my only consolation, "said the OC. "But the tragedy remains, I could not save the life of the other person," he added.