Lalmonirhat mob killing: 3 cases filed, 5 arrested

Three cases have been filed in connection with the mob lynching and torching of a man at Burimari of Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat.

Police have arrested five persons till Saturday afternoon.

Lalmonirhat police super Abida Sultana confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

Meanwhile, Rangpur divisional commissioner Abdul Wahab Bhuiyan and deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Devdas Bhattacharya visited Burimari Central Jame Masjid, Burimari union parisad and Burimari First Bashkol areas.

Lalmonirhat deputy commissioner Abu Zafar, police super Abida Sultana, Burimari upazila officials and public representatives were present.

They held a views-exchange meeting with all imams, muezzins and khadems of all mosques of the upazila at Patgram Shaheed Afzal Hossain Auditorium.

They asked all to be cautious so that none can unleash destructive activities by spreading rumours or false allegations on sensitive issues including religions.

On Thursday evening, a group of people beat Abu Younus Mohammad Shahidunnabi, 50, to death and burned his body accusing him of ‘disrespecting the Quran’.

Shahidunnabi, of Shalban Mistripara in Rangpur district town, was a former librarian of Rangpur Cantonment Public School and College. Another man named Sultan Jubayer of the same area was injured in a mob beating.

Police and local people said a group of 5-6 men started to beat Shahidunnabi and Jubayer at the premises of Burimari Bazar Central Masjid after Asr prayer accusing them of disrespecting the holy Quran.

They were later detained at a room in the union parishad office.

Police said that a group of people swooped on the union parishad office as rumours spread among the local people that two men were detained for disrespecting the Quran.

Police took away Jubayer but failed to rescue Shahidunnabi from the agitated mob. Shahidunnabi was beaten up and burned to death there.

Lalmonirhat police super office sources said victim Shahidunabi's cousin Saiful Islam filed a murder case with Patgram police station on Friday night. In the case, names of 20-30 accused were mentioned while 200-300 unknown were also made accused.

Burimari union parishad chairman Abu Sayeed Newaz Nishat filed another case on the same day.

Charges of vandalising furniture including doors and windows of Burimari union parishad were brought in the case.

Names of five people were mentioned in the case while 20-30 people were made unnamed accused.

Patgram police station sub-inspector Shajahan Ali filed the third case on charges of obstructing public service and deteriorating the law and order situation.

Five people have been arrested in these cases. Police were unwilling to disclose the names and identities of them in the interest of investigation.

Deputy commissioner Abu Zafar said a three-member committee headed by additional district magistrate has been formed in connection with the incident. The committee has to submit its report within three working days.