Case being shifted to PBI to ‘avoid political pressure’
The murder case of Md Alauddin, who was shot dead during violence between two councillor candidates of Chattogram City Corporation polls on January 27, is going to be shifted from Government Railway Police (GRP) Chattogram Station to Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), "to tackle political pressure".
Police sources said a ruling party's member of parliament and influential member of the parliamentary standing committee on railway ministry is trying to put pressure on railway police to halt the investigation.
A senior official of railway police told this newspaper that the case is going to be handed over to PBI's Chattogram metro unit to avoid political pressure and bring the killers to book through a fair investigation.
None of the nine accused in the murder case have been arrested, and the firearm used during the killing has not been recovered. According to the case statement, supporters of councillor Wasim Uddin Chowdhury shot day labourer Alauddin (26) dead in front of Ambagan-Jhawtola UCEF Technical School on election day.
Victim's sister Jahanara Begum, alleged that Nasir, a supporter of Wasim, had threatened and asked her along with her relatives to vote for Nasir's candidate. If they did not, he threatened to harm the family.
On election day, Alauddin went to the nearby railway track to have breakfast. Nasir waylaid Alauddin in front of the school, which was a polling centre, and shot Alauddin. After firing his gun, another accused, Joj Mia, hit Alauddin with a sharp weapon, according to the case statement. He was declared dead at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.
Wasim later became councillor of Ward-13.
Seeking anonymity, a police official of GRP said, "As the incident occurred on the railway track, the case was lodged with Chattogram Railway Police Station on January 27. When police started investigating, an influential political leader tried to mount pressure on investigators to wrap up the investigation and submit the final report. Later, we shared the matter with our senior officials."
A source of Railway Police Chattogram HQ said senior officials have already communicated with PBI officials to shift the case.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Qamrul Hassan of Railway Police's Chattogram district brushed aside the reported political pressure and said, "Investigation of the case is underway, and we are shifting the case to PBI for fair and unbiased investigation. Other than that, there is no reason."
Contacted, Naima Sultana, superintendent of police of PBI Chattogram metro unit, said, "If they [GRP] believed that PBI can investigate the case in a fair manner, then PBI will do it after getting the official letter."
Councillor Wasim acknowledged that all the accused are local ruling party leaders and workers. "I personally want an unbiased investigation in this connection, as the case was lodged for political revenge," he added.
Comments