Main accused Morshed held

Police arrested the prime accused in a case for attacking people of Paulpara Hindu community in Noymail area under Shajahanpur upazila early yesterday.

The arrestee is Morshed Alam, 36, son of Dilbor Rahman of nearby Rahimabad village in Aria union. He is an alleged top listed criminal in the area.

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On secret information, a police team raided the area on Bogra-Dhaka highway and arrested Morshed while he was boarding a small vehicle to surrender before the court.

Because of family pressure, Morshed got out from his hideout to surrender before the court, said police.

Hearing his arrest, several hundred Hindus thronged Shajahanpur Police Station and staged demonstration for about half an hour, demanding death penalty to Morshed and immediate steps to arrest his aide Sazzad and rest of the accused. 

The demonstrators later left the place after getting assurance from the authorities concerned of taking steps to meet their demand, said Abdul Mannan, officer-in-charge of the police station.

Morshed was produced before a court which sent him to jail, he said.

On the night of April 29, a gang of extortionists, allegedly led by Morshed, equipped with lethal weapons attacked the Paul community people, broke their earthenware and other things and tortured them physically.

The following day, the villagers blocked Bogra-Dhaka highway with a protest procession and sent memorandum to the deputy commissioner and the upazila nirbahi officer concerned, demanding arrest of the criminals.

On May 2, they lodged a case with Shajahanpur Police Station accusing Morshed, his aide Hanjala and four or five other unidentified people.

Earlier, police arrested four accused in the case, said the OC. 

The arrestees include Tajul Islam, 40, son of Delbor Hossain, elder brother of main accused Morshed Alam, and Emdadul Haque, 52, informer and father-in-law of Morshed of Rahimabad Dakkhinpara in the union, and CNG-run three-wheeler driver named Azizul Islam, 37.

During primary interrogation, Morshed confessed to his involvement in the attack and extortion in the area, said Superintendent of Police Mozammel Haque.