Three Nikunja murder suspects arrested

Police arrested three more men yesterday in connection with Tuesday's killing of a joint secretary near Jaganath Hall on Dhaka University campus.

The arrested are Hossain, alias Morshed, Shah Noor and Shukur. Hossain and Shah Noor appeared before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrates Court yesterday and were granted one-day police remand. Shukur was being interrogated by the police yesterday and will appear in court today, sources said.

Morshed and Noor have been arrested before in connection with other snatching cases, police said. Police said the two were roaming suspiciously around the Shahid Minar area on the day of the killing.

Ramna police continued their interrogation of the four men arrested on Tuesday.

Ramna police have picked up 85 people in connection with the killing of the joint secretary. Seven have been arrested.

Nikunja Bihari Debnath, 55, joint secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development was stabbed to death by muggers near the 'Swadhinata Sangram' (Struggle for independence) Sculpture, which is located at the intersection between S.M. Hall and Jaganath Hall.

The secretary was returning to his Azimpur residence from Kamalapur railway station in a rickshaw.

"We can confirm muggers were involved in the attack and stabbed the victim to intimidate him and extract more money," said Rafiqul Islam, the officer-in-charge of Ramna Police. He ruled out claims that attack was linked to tender bids or another rivalry.

Islam said police suspect only twelve people were involved in the attack. They hope to determine the motive behind the killing very soon.

The sub-inspector who was in command of the police patrol near Jaganath Hall of Dhaka University was temporary suspended on Wednesday.

Police said the secretary cried for help, but the police couldn't find the victim due to thick fog, which blanketed the area at the time of the attack, said Islam.