Attack on Hero Alom: Two ‘main attackers’ arrested

Two more people were arrested over the attack on Ashraful Hossen alias Hero Alom who was an independent candidate for by-elections in the Dhaka-17 constituency.

The police said these two people are the main attackers. They are Manik Gazi and Al Amin, after conducting drive in the capital’s Tejgaon area on Wednesday night.

With the latest arrest, a total of nine people have been arrested over the attack on Hero Alam.

Banani police station officer-in-charge (OC) Md Mostafizur Rahman told Prothom Alo CCTV camera footage shows Manik Gazi restraining Hero Alom while Al Amin is beating Hero Alom. Police would produce them to court, he added.

Previously, seven people were arrested over the attack on Hero Alom. They are: Sanowar Kazi, 28, Biplob Hossain, 31, Mahmudul Hasan, 27, Mozahid Khan, 27, Ashik Sarkar, 24, Ridhoy Sheikh, 24, and Sohel Mollah, 25.

Two of them are remanded and the remaining ones are behind bars.

OC Mustafizur Rahman said Sanowar Gazi and Biplob Hossain, who are in remand, informed police that 15 more people were also involved in the attack. Police also found their details and manhunt was underway to arrest them.

According to sources, Mahmudul Hasan, Mozahid Khan, Ashik Sarkar, and Ridhoy Sheikh were the follower of former president of Bangladesh Chhattra League’s Banani unit president Sheikh Mehedi.

On 17 July, Hero Alom went to visit the Banani Bidyaniketan School and College polling centre in the afternoon during the voting. At that time, activists and supporters of the 'Boat' symbol started hurling abuses at Hero Alom and asked him to leave the centre. As the situation got tensed, on-duty police members escorted Hero Alom outside the centre.

Having been chased from the inside of the centre, as he came outside, the supporters of the 'Boat' candidate then beat the independent candidate of the Dhaka-17 constituency Ashraful Hossen alias Hero Alom on the street.