Killing in N’ganj demo: Case lodged but ‘plaintiff’ knew nothing!

"As per police's directives, I signed on the paper and received my brother's body. Later today [Friday], I came to know that a murder case was filed and I was made plaintiff of the case."

— Milon Prodhan, brother of slain Shaon Mahmud

A murder case was recorded by Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station yesterday over the death of Shaon Mahmud in Thursday's clash between BNP men and police, but the "plaintiff" said he knew nothing about it.

Milon Prodhan, the elder brother of victim Shaon Mahmud, alleged that police took his signature on a paper when he was receiving his brother's body.

"When I went to the police station on Thursday night [early hours of today] to receive my brother's body, police took my signature on a paper saying it was required to receive the body," said Milon.

"As per police's directives, I signed on the paper and received my brother's body. Later today [Friday], I came to know that a murder case was filed and I was made plaintiff of the case," Milon told The Daily Star yesterday.

"I don't know what was written in the case statement and who were made accused in the case. I don't know any details...," he said.

Seeking anonymity, a relative of Shaon said police took Milon's signature in a document when he went to receive Shaon's body. Later, police prepared the case statement as per their wish and used Milon's signature.

Police denied the allegations.

"Their [Milon and his relative's] claim is not true. The plaintiff knows everything about the case statement," said Md Amir Khasru, additional superintendent of police (crime ‍and operations) in Narayanganj.

Citing the case statement, he said the plaintiff alleged that his brother was killed after being hit by brick chunks hurled by BNP men.

The police officer also claimed that 10 BNP men were arrested in connection with Thursday's violence.

Shaon, 20, son of Shahed Ali of Narayanganj Sadar upazila's Nobinagar area, was killed on Thursday in clashes  between BNP men and police in the town after the party men brought out a procession marking the party's 44th founding anniversary.

Sk Farhad, resident medical hospital at Narayanganj General Hospital, where the body was taken following the clash, said there were bullet marks on the body.

Police on Thursday said it could not be known immediately how he died.

His autopsy was completed at Narayanganj General Hospital. Around 12:30am yesterday, Shaon's body was handed over to his family members, said Anisur Rahman Molla, officer-in-charge of Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station.

Shaon was buried at a graveyard in his village around 1:30am in the presence of police after a namaz-e-janaza at a local school playground, said his elder brother Milon.

Meanwhile, both ruling Awami League and the BNP claimed that Shaon was an activist of their youth wings.

BNP leaders claimed that Shaon was an activist of Jubo Dal, the party's youth wing.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday visited Shaon's house to meet his family members.

Around 8:00pm on Thursday night, a group of AL men led by Fatullah Thana unit AL's office secretary Jahangir Master, brought out a procession in Nobinagar area, claiming that Shaon was an activist of Jubo League, the youth front of the AL.

But Milon told this newspaper that his brother was not involved with any political party.

"I have heard that some people took Shaon to BNP's procession yesterday [Thursday]," he said.

Meanwhile in Manikganj, police on Thursday night filed a case against 33 named and some 2,500 unnamed people in connection with violence in the district's Khalpara area on Thursday morning.

BNP claimed around 100 of their party men were injured in the clash, while police said seven police personnel were injured.

[Our Manikganj correspondent contributed to the report]