Tipu murder - At least five took part in the killing mission: probe

At least five people took part in the killing of Jahidul Islam Tipu, former general secretary of Motijheel Awami League, in the capital's Shahjahanpur a week ago.

Except for the "shooter", Masum Mohammad Akash, two others were also carrying arms as backup team members who would step in if Aksah failed to shoot Tipu or any other problem appeared at the scene.

A senior police official, involved in the murder probe, confirmed this to The Daily Star yesterday.

Investigators said the three were carrying one 7.65mm pistol each. The arms were supplied from a single source and those were returned after the killing.

Akash collected the arms and bullets from near Kamalapur area. He fled after returning the arms, said a police official, requesting anonymity.

Law enforcers arrested Akash on Sunday.

Investigators said they were checking role of a former ward councillor from Sabujbagh in supplying the arms.

Sources said the murder could be solved following the arrest of one Sumon Shikder Musa, who hired Akash for the killing and now believed to have left the country.

"Those who gave the contract for the murder used a 'cut-out' strategy and that's why it has become difficult to ascertain who first called whom and how many people were involved," said an investigator.

According to police officials, 7.65mm pistol is an automatic gun and it can carry about 16 bullets in two chambers.

Once loaded, shots can be fired from the pistol one after another just with a single pull of the trigger. This feature of the firearm had enabled the shooter to open around 11 shots just within five to seven seconds.

A senior police official said these arms are made abroad and each of them costs up to Tk 5 lakh.

AKM Hafiz Akter, additional commissioner of police's Detective Branch, said police's other units were also working on the arrest of the criminals involved in the murder.

Around 10:15pm on Thursday, Tipu was returning home at the capital's Khilgaon Bagichha by his microbus from his restaurant.

As the vehicle got stuck in a traffic jam in Shahjahanpur, unidentified assailants fired shots at the microbus. Tipu, his driver Monir Hossain Munna, 34, and rickshaw passenger Samia Afran Jamal Prity, 22, were hit by bullets.

The three were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared Tipu and Prity dead.

Tipu's wife Farhana Islam Doly filed a murder case with Shahjahanpur Police Station accusing unidentified criminals.