Police still not sure

Mahmuda Khanam Mitu. File photo

Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque said that police still were not sure who actually had killed Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, wife of Superintendent of Police Babul Akter.

“Investigation of the killing of June 5 is still going on. Until any progress in the investigation, it cannot be told who were behind the killing. We can assume that any militant group or persons and terrorist groups whose activities are being hindered by the activities of police might have committed the heinous murder,” the IGP told a meeting with eminent personalities in the port city yesterday.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan earlier, however, said that militants killed Mitu.

On June 5, some assailants stabbed and shot Mitu dead while she was taking her son to his school bus stop at GEC intersection in the city. Babul Akter had a successful run in curbing militancy with an iron fist in the port city.

So far, two suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder. A Chittagong court yesterday sent the duo--Abu Nasar Gunnu, 45, and Md Shah Jaman alias Robin, 28--on seven days remand.

Police launched a weeklong crackdown across the country against militants and other criminals on Friday in the wake of recent spate of targeted killings, including the murder of Mitu.

At the meeting, the IGP criticised National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman for giving statement in media fearing arrest trade of police during the ongoing drives against militants.

Shahidul Hoque urged people to provide information about the persons involved in any militant activities or who are conducting suspicious activities in the port city. He said police want to fight militancy with the help of people.

IO CHANGED

The investigation officer (IO) of the Mitu murder case has been changed following an order from Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Iqbal Bahar last night. Kamruzzaman, an assistant commissioner of Detective Branch (DB), has been made IO in place of DB Inspector Rakibuddin.

FIVE COMMITTEES FORMED

The CMP yesterday formed five committees to support the investigation process of the case.

The committees will lead operation, interrogation of suspects, examination of the case dockets, collection and analysis of video footages and intelligence reports, Parithosh Ghosh, deputy commissioner (north) of CMP, told The Daily Star.

Nazmul Alam, DB's additional deputy commissioner (north), will lead the operation while DB's ADC Humayun Kabir will lead the committee formed to help support the interrogation.