4 murdered in 3 dists

Four people were hacked and shot to death and another was severely injured in separate incidents in Chittagong, Kushtia and Brahmanbaria yesterday.

In Chittagong, unidentified men hacked and shot dead two youths in Rangunia upazila in the early hours of yesterday.

The deceased are Abul Kashem, 30, son of Badsha Mia, and Manjur Hossain, 25, son of Moniruzzaman. They lived in Sarafbhata area of the upazila.

Police suspect that a previous enmity with a rival group over occupation of a piece of hilly land in the upazila might be the reason behind the killings.

The two also stood accused in a murder case.

According to locals and Kashem's family members, some 10 to 11 people armed with sharp weapons and firearms swooped on them while they were sitting outside their houses around midnight.

“We heard around 50 gunshots and screams outside our house around 12:00am. Hearing the gunshots, we did not go out of our homes to see what was happening. When everything was quiet around 1:00am, we went outside and found the bodies of my brother and his friend,” said Mohammed Tayeb, younger brother of Kashem.

He claimed that his brother was murdered by the recently deceased Ukil Ahmed's family members with whom his brother had a longstanding feud. Ukil's brother Osman and Tofail led the team of murderers, he alleged.

Ukil, 52, was killed in an attack in the upazila on March 1 this year. His family members filed a murder case accusing 22 people, including Kashem and Manjur.

Meanwhile, according to the inquest report prepared by the police, Kashem had several bullet wounds in his body, particularly in the neck, chest and belly. There were hacking marks on Manjur's body and bullet wounds in his chest.

Mosiuddoula Reza, assistant superintendent of police of Hathazari Circle, said they were looking into whether the killings have anything to do with the March 1 murder.

He said Kashem and Manjur were accused in five and two cases for murder and robbery respectively. There was a longstanding dispute between the two rival groups over occupation of hilly land in the upazila, he added.

No one was arrested in connection with the murders, said the police official.

KUSHTIA

Unidentified criminals hacked one brother to death and severely injured another at Fakirabad village in Bheramara upazila last night.

Of them, Mojibor Rahman, 65, a retired headmaster of a primary school, died on the spot. His younger brother Mizanur Rahman was taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in a critical state, police and family members said.

Nur Islam Khondkar, officer-in-charge of Bheramara Police Station said a group of seven to eight criminals swooped on the siblings soon after they came out of a local mosque after isha prayers around 8:45pm.

The criminals hacked them indiscriminately with sharp weapons and left.

Hearing screams, locals rushed there and took Mizanur to Bheramara Upazila Health Complex. He was later shifted to Kushtia General Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, Mizanur was taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Taposh Kumar, resident medical officer of the Kushtia hospital, said Mizanur's condition was critical.

Zoynal Abedin, additional superintendent of Kushtia police, told The Daily Star that police were trying to pinpoint the motive and identify the killers.

BRAHMANBARIA

A retired army sepoy was stabbed to death allegedly over a dispute regarding money in the town last night.

The deceased is Bahar Mia, 40, of Birgaon union in Nabinagar upazila.

Police arrested one Mamun of the same upazila in connection with the killing.

Bahar lend Mamun Tk 50,000 about a year ago, locals said.

Yesterday evening, Mamun asked Bahar to meet him in Brahmanbaria town for the money, said police.

They met in Pirbari area of the town around 10:00pm and after a few minutes they locked in an altercation over the money.

At one stage, Mamun stabbed at Bahar's throat with a knife, said Mainur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Brahmanbaria Sadar Police Station.

As Bahar screamed, locals rushed and caught Mamun and handed him over to the police.

However, Bahar died on the spot, added the OC.

The body was sent to Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy.

During primary interrogation, Mamun admitted that he called Bahar over the phone to meet him for the money, said the police official.