‘Habiganj children were killed over panchayat feud’

The gruesome murders of four children in Habiganj have taken place following rivalries among the members of the local panchayets, said the police.

District police Super Joy Deb Kumar Bhadra made the disclosure at a press conference at his office on Friday night, two days after the bodies of the missing children recovered.

He said: “The police have unearthed the motive behind the murders.”

Suspect Rubel confesses before a local court to his involvement in the killings

He said one of the suspects Rubel on Friday afternoon confessed before a local court to his involvement in the killings.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Kaushik Ahmed Khandakar recorded the statement of Rubel under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the police super added.

In his confessional statement, Rubel told the court that six people were involved in the killing, said the SP.

Police said Abdul Ali of the Sundrateki village had been at loggerheads with panchayet leader Khaleque Master over establishing supremacy in the locality.

Abdul Aziz, father of victim Tajel Miah, was known as the right hand of Khaleque Master.

Auto-rickshaw driver Bachchu of the village was also a supporter of Khaleque Master.

However, he was expelled from the panchayet following a dispute with the leader.

Also Read: Four children found dead after five days

Later, Abdul Ali along with Bachchu worked out a plan to teach Khaleque Master a lesson and they targeted Abdul Aziz first.

They decided to kill Aziz or his son to take revenge on the panchayet leader.

The police super said as per their plan, Bachchu tactfully took the four children– Zakaria Ahmed Shuvo, 8, son of Wahid Miah, his two cousins –Tajel Miah, 10, son of Abdul Aziz, Monir Miah, 7, son of Abdal Miah–to his auto-rickshaw in the afternoon of February 12.

Later, Rubel, Arju and several others joined him and made the children unconscious.

They suffocated the four children inside a three-wheeler and kept the bodies at the garage of Bachchu.

Later, they buried the bodies under the ground on Saturday night.

Being informed, police recovered the bodies of the children on Wednesday.

Police arrested Abdul Ali and his brother Jewel Miah in connection with the gruesome murders the same night while Rubel, Arju and Bashir were arrested on Thursday.

Police seized the auto-rickshaw used for carrying the four children from the cowshed of Bachchu on Friday afternoon, said the SP.”However, we are yet to capture him [Bachchu].”

Source: Dhaka Tribune