Vehicle used in RU teacher killing seized

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) today recovered a CNG-run three-wheeler from Railway Station area in Rajshahi city which was used during the killing of Rajshahi University teacher Shafiul Islam.
“Killers equipped with sharp weapons went to Shafiul’s residence in Choddopai area riding a CNG-run three-wheeler. After killing him, they also fled the scene by boarding the same vehicle,” Major Shafiqul Islam, deputy director of Rab-5, said at a press conference at its Rajshahi headquarters.  
According to the confessional statements of detainees, Tokai Babu and Shabuj Sheikh, the Rab team launched a search at different parts in the city and recovered the auto-rickshaw which was in abandoned condition at the Railway Station area.
Tokai Babu and Shabuj Sheikh endorsed that the three-wheeler was used to make the killing mission a success, the Rab official said.
Law enforcers have so far arrested 17 people including a former Jubo Dal leader who allegedly masterminded in the murder of RU teacher.
The arrests took place in Rajshahi, Gazipur and Bogra.
The alleged mastermind, Ariful Islam Manik, was a former organising secretary of Katakhali municipality unit of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal.
Earlier on November 19, a total of 11 accused were placed on a two-day remand that ended last Friday.
Of them, eight accused were placed on a fresh one-day remand in a case filed in connection with the killing of Rajshahi University teacher AKM Shafiul Islam.
A Rajshahi court is scheduled for holding a hearing tomorrow as Motihar thana police placed three of the eight accused before the Rajshahi court seeking seven day-remand.
RU sociology department Professor Shafiul, 48, was hacked to death by assailants near his house in Choddopai area, adjacent to the RU campus, on the outskirts of the city on November 15.
Three days into the killing of Shafiul, 11 people, mostly alleged supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, were shown arrested in the case.