The Saudi-returnee child specialist who was found murdered on Dhaka-Chattogram highway on Friday, was the victim of a mugging gang inside a moving human haulier, said Rapid Action Battalion yesterday.

Rab-7 officials said the mugging gang stabbed Dr Shah Alam, 61, to death after roughing him up, as he tried to resist them.

The elite force disclosed the information after arresting a human haulier driver from Chattogram city’s Railway Station area early yesterday in connection with the murder.

The arrestee was identified as Md Omar Faruk, 19, a resident of Barabkunda of Sitakunda upazila, said Rab.

“A gang of five muggers including Faruk took part in the killing while the physician was returning to Chattogram in the vehicle, which plies between the city and Sitakuda upazila,” said Kazi Tarek Aziz, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Rab-7.

The 61-year old paediatrician, who established Baby Care Private Limited at Sitakunda’s Chhoto Kumira village after returning to the country two years back, was found dead with multiple injuries beside the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. He previously served as the head of paediatric surgery department of Madina Maternity and Children’s Hospital in Saudi Arabia

ASP Tarek said, “Like other days, he boarded the human haulier of ‘Bin Mansur Paribahan’ from Choto Kumira for the city on October 17. At the time, Faruk was on the steering wheel and two of his associates were inside the transport in guise of passengers.”

“After a few minutes, two other members of the gang boarded the vehicle, and the four started beating Dr Shah Alam for his belongings,” said ASP Tarek.

The Rab official said, “The muggers at one point stabbed the physician as he tried to resist them. They even stabbed him in the face so he could not be identified.”

“After the murder, they dumped the body beside the highway, and later Faruk took the vehicle from Barabkunda to Sea Beach area for washing the blood inside,” he said.

The Rab official said, “We started shadow investigation after the murder, and traced the transport, arrested Faruk and seized the transport.”

“During interrogation, Faruk told investigators that they mugged several persons including Dr Shah Alam in similar style that night, and only stabbed Shah Alam as he tried to resist them,” said the Rab official.

The investigators said Faruk washed the transport but failed to erase the blood mark properly, and he stopped driving from Friday morning after learning the identity of the doctor.

Rab-7 sources said Faruk gave a confessional statement before Chattogram Judicial Magistrate Shiplu Kumar Dey under section 164 of CrPC. After recording the statement, the court sent him to jail in the case.

ASP Tarek said Faruk disclosed the name of his cohorts before the court, and Rab are trying to arrest them.