Shooting a student: Teacher bought illegal arms from bordering district

Rayhan Sharif, the arrested doctor who shot his student during a viva on Monday, had bought his two pistols illegally from a southern district.

During primary interrogation, Rayhan, a teacher of community medicine at Shaheed M Monsur Ali Medical College in Sirajganj, told police that he bought one of the pistols in August and the other in October last year from the same source. He said he also bought 81 bullets.

Police also found 12 knives in his possession.

The investigators were trying to unearth the arms and ammunition supply chain and Rayhan's motive for collecting them, Sirajganj Superintendent of Police Arifur Rahman Mondal told The Daily Star yesterday.

He said they asked a court for a seven-day remand of Rayhan in the arms case.

Police said they learnt that Rayhan that day asked his students in the classroom whether any one of them had any pets.

When Arafat Amin Tamal, a third-year student, said he had some birds, Rayhan brandished his pistol and said this was his pet. That was when the gun was fired, said the SP, adding that Tamal, who was shot, gave a similar narrative.

Police said Rayhan's Facebook page had pictures of a firearm and that he had downloaded many videos on firearms into his phone.

Rayhan was suspended yesterday. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a gazette notification in this regard.

WHO IS RAYHAN

Rayhan was the vice president of the Rajshahi Medical College unit of the pro-ruling party Chhatra League when he was a medical student there.

"I was afraid of him as I knew that he carried a pistol with him. I always avoided him," a doctor at the college said wishing not to be named.

The then BCL leaders and some teachers covered for him, the doctor said.

RMC Principal Prof Nawshad Ali said, "Rayhan would express his anger over trivial issues."

Students often complained about him, he added.

"It was surprising that he passed the MBBS exams as a regular student and got recruited by the government through the BCS exams … ."

Before Rayhan got the government job, he worked as a medical officer at North Bengal Medical College in Sirajganj, sources said.

Johurul Haque Raza, a teacher at the college, said Rayhan allegedly threatened a senior doctor and was subsequently removed.

After he got the government job, he was first appointed to Godagari upazila Health Complex in Rajshahi before being transferred to Sirajganj, sources said.

Rayhan joined Shahid M Monsur Ali Medical College in March last year.

Amirul Hasan Chowdhury, principal of the college, said that in October last year they learnt Rayhan carried firearms and stalked female students.

He said no one lodged any complaints against the teacher.

Asked why they did not inform the police, Amirul said they called him in, and he told them that his weapons were licensed.

He said Rayhan was served two show-cause notices, which he did not respond to, and that he was about to be served with a third.

Sources said Rayhan had been living alone after his wife left him around three years ago months after their marriage.