Mob Beating: Ex-DU provost, 14 students sued

Prof Shah Md Masum, former provost of Dhaka University's Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall, and 14 students of the hall were sued yesterday in connection with the killing of 35-year-old Tofazzal Hossain on September 18.

The accused students are Muhammad Jalal Mia, Abdus Samad, Shahriar Kabir Shovon and Mehedi Hasan Imran of physics department; Suman Mia of soil, water and environment; Firoz Kabir of botany; Mottakin Shakin Shah and Rashed Kamal Anik of the institute of nutrition and food science; Ahsanullah and Fazle Rabbi of mathematics; Al Hussain Sajjad of geography and environment; Wajibul Alam of oceanography; Yeamus Jaman of pharmacy and Mohammad Sultan of zoology.

Asma Akter, 30, a cousin of the victim, filed the case with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Akteruzzaman, said Obaydul Mia, a lawyer for the complainant.

The magistrate set November 25 to know the progress of the investigation in the murder case, said a court staffer.

Six of the accused students -- Jalal, Suman, Mottakin, Ahsanullah, Sajjad and Wajibul -- confessed to their involvement in the crime before a magistrate on September 20 after they were arrested.

A group of DU students tortured Tofazzal to death at the Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall, accusing him of being a thief.

However, his relatives say Tofazzal became a drifter after "losing his mind" following the deaths of his parents and brother.

A day after the death, Mohammad Amanullah, a superviser at the university's estate office, filed a murder case with Shahbagh Police Station against some unidentified students.