Rapid Action Battalion arrested the prime suspect in the Gulshan double murder case from Halishahar area in Chattogram yesterday.

The arrestee is Ruman, 27, of Katiadi in Kishoreganj, Rab's legal and media wing Director Lt Col Md Munim Ferdous said in a press briefing at Rab Media Centre in Karwan Bazar today.

On September 28, police recovered the bodies of two men -- Rafiqul Islam Sikdar, 62, and Sabbir, 15 -- who had been hacked and had their throats slit, at a tea stall in Gulshan-2.

Following the murders, Rafiqul's son filed a murder case with Gulshan Police Station.

According to local sources, Rafiqul, hailing from Barishal, used to work as a caretaker of a plot of land in Gulshan-2, while also running a small tea and snack stall inside the plot.

The other victim, Sabbir, who worked as an assistant at the tea stall, was from Gauripur in Mymensingh. Both victims used to sleep in a room behind the plot.

The Rab official said Sabbir had been working at Rafiqul's tea stall for about a month. When Sabbir expressed his desire to quit, Rafiqul began looking for a replacement. Seven days before the murder, through a mutual acquaintance, Ruman started working at the stall for a monthly salary of Tk 5,000, which included accommodation.

However, disagreements over the low salary and work responsibilities led to several altercations between Rafiqul and Ruman.

"Ruman devised a plan to teach Rafiqul a lesson and steal valuable items and money from the stall. Ruman also disclosed that two others were involved in the murders," the Rab official said adding that the investigation is ongoing.

"On the night of September 26, after closing the shop, Rafiqul, Sabbir, and Ruman had dinner and went to bed. According to Ruman's premeditated plan, around 2:00am, he attacked Rafiqul with a sharp weapon, striking his head, neck, and body. When Sabbir witnessed the assault, Ruman attacked him as well, inflicting fatal injuries to his head and body," Rab official added.

He then covered the bodies with bed sheets. Afterwards, Ruman searched the house, stole cash, and packed valuable items from the shop, including a coffee machine, into several bags.

Around 7:00am the next day, Ruman rented a pickup truck, loaded the stolen goods, and fled the scene, eventually taking a bus from the airport area to his home. It was later known that he had hidden the stolen items at a relative's house, Rab said.

Rab said Ruman previously worked as an agricultural labourer and brick kiln worker in his hometown. About a year or two ago, he had been employed at a shop in Uttara.

To evade arrest, Ruman initially took shelter at his sister's house in Kishoreganj but later moved to a relative's house in Chattogram, where he was eventually apprehended by Rab.