Sudipto Biswas

A Chhatra League leader was beaten to death near his home at South Nalapara in the city yesterday morning.

Police suspect an intra-party feud behind the murder of Sudipto Biswas, 28, who was the assistant general secretary of Chittagong unit of the pro-Awami League student body.

Meanwhile, a group of BCL activists of Chittagong Government City College, of which Sudipto was a student two years ago, vandalised three buses and several roadside shops in New Market area in what appeared to be a protest. They also set two buses on fire during the half an hour rampage about 4:00pm.

His family members told police that two young men came to their house around 7:30am and asked Sudipto to go outside with them.

After a while, neighbours told the family that Sudipto was injured and left on the side of a road nearby, Marjina Akter, officer-in-charge of Sadarghat Police Station, said.

The family rushed there and took him to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) where he died around 11:00am.

There were injuries in his head and his hands were broken, the OC said, adding that the body was sent to CMCH Morgue for autopsy.

Police were looking into the specific motive of the murder, she added.

Sudipto's father Babul Biswas could not be contacted while BCL President Imran Ahmed Imu and other top leaders did not comment.

Agitating activists take to the street while policemen try to bring the situation under control. Photo: Prabir Das

VANDALISM IN THE EVENING

Two policemen including Jasim Uddin, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, were slightly injured as BCL activists threw stones and brick chips.

Witnesses said holding sticks and iron rods, around 25 to 30 BCL men of Government City College came from their campus and suddenly started to vandalise everything around them in New Market area.

“The students had set two buses on fire before police arrived. Police soon charged batons and chased them away,” Assistant Commissioner Jahangir Alam of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) told The Daily Star.

The officer added that fire fighters doused the fires soon afterwards.

Shahedul Islam, driver of a torched bus, said, “I just reached New Market intersection with 15 passengers when a group of 10 to 15 men attacked my bus.

“Panic-stricken passengers managed to leave the bus. I jumped out of a window to save my life.”