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Bangladesh police arrest another suspect in Dipu Chandra Das' killing: ‘Played a key role’
A senior police officer said that the suspect went into hiding after the murder and was on run for almost two weeks.
Bangladesh's detective branch of police said that one more suspect was arrested on Wednesday for the murder of Hindu garment worker Dipu Chandra Das in Bhaluka, Mymensingh.
The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Mohammad Yasin Arafat and he was arrested on Wednesday afternoon from Dhaka's Sarulia area which falls under Demra Police Station, local media outlet The Daily Star reported citing Mymensingh Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Abdullah Al Mamun.
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The senior cop added that Yasin had played a “leading role” in Dipu Chandra Das' murder, which sent ripples across not just Bangladesh but also India.
‘Played a key role, went into hiding after murder’
Mamun said that the suspect was serving as an imam at Sheikhbari Mosque in Kashar and was also a teacher at Madina Tahfizul Quran Madrasa, according to the report. He added that Yasin went into hiding after the murder and was on run for almost two weeks.
"Yasin played a leading role in the murder alongside others. After the killing, he went into hiding and remained on the run for 12 days at different madrasas in Sarulia. He also joined a madrasa named Suffa as a teacher," the report quoted Mamun as saying, citing findings of initial probe.
Yasin's involvement in Dipu's murder was confirmed by statements of other suspects who have been arrested, eyewitness accounts, earlier probe and also descriptions of what happened at the factory gate when the murder took place, according to police.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police assisted in Yasin's arrest and efforts are on to nab other suspects in the case, the report added. According to additional superintendent of police, 21 people have been arrested in the case so far and 18 have been sent to jail after completion of remand. While nine accused have given confessional statements, three key witnesses have also given statements into what had happened.
Also read: Bangladesh: Hindu man jumps in water to escape chasing mob, dies
Dipu Chandra Das was lynched by a mob following which, his body was set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Bangladesh' Mymensingh on December 18. However, several eyewitnesses and Das' father as well have said that he was killed over his job.
Das' murder led to a huge uproar across India, raising concerns over safety of minority communities in Bangladesh.
