Dipu was forced to resign and then was handed over to mob: RAB

Dipu Chandra Das,27, the mob lynching victim on charges of insulting religion in Bhaluka of Mymensingh, was first forced to resign from his job and then he was handed over to the mob, said RAB.

Ten people, including two from the factory, have been arrested in the case of Dipu being beaten to death and then burned. Dipu's younger brother has filed a murder case against 150 unidentified people in this incident.

The arrest of seven people was announced at a press conference at the headquarters of Mymensingh RAB-14 on Saturday (December 20). In addition, the police informed about the arrest of three more people in a separate operation.

The arrestees are--Md. Limon Sarkar, 19, Md. Tarek Hossain, 19, Md. Manik Mia, 20, Ershad Ali, 39, Nizum Uddin, 20, Md. Ajmal Hasan Sagir, 26, Md. Shahin Mia, 19, Md. Nazmul, 21, Factory Manager Alamgir Hossain, 38, Quality Incharge Md. Miraj Hossain Akon, 46.

Additional DIG Naimul Hasan, commander of RAB-14, said that seven people have been arrested seeing the video footage. Among them are two from the factory as the incident began there around 4:30 pm. The floor in-charge of the factory forced him (Dipu) to resign and after resigning, he handed him over to the agitated crowd. We picked two of Dipu's colleagues to get answers of two questions--Why was he handed over to them (the agitated crowd) instead of the police and why was his safety not ensured."

Dipu's younger brother has filed a murder case with Bhaluka Police Station accusing 150 unknown people in this incident, said the RAB official.

He said: "We have tried repeatedly to find out--what did Dipu say? But no one could answer. Killing a man on this charge and hanging him from a tree and setting him on fire is in no way covered by the law."

Meanwhile, the police said that the arrested will be handed over to the court through legal process. A case has already been filed in this incident. A drive is underway to arrest others involved. Those involved in the incident will be brought under the law.

Meanwhile, the deceased's father Rabi Chandra Das and sister Champa Das claimed that Dipu was killed in a planned manner on false charges due to a dispute over increasing production. They claim that Dipu was educated and aware, he cannot do such a thing (insulting religion).

Mymensingh Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Abdullah Al Mamun said, no one has the right to take the law into their own hands. Why the young man was handed over to the public instead of the police is being investigated.

On Thursday night, an agitated mob thrashed Dipu at the Pioneer Knitwears BD Limited factory in Bhaluka's Jamirdia area on charges of insulting religion. Later, his body was taken to the side of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and set on fire. Upon receiving information, the police went and recovered the half-burnt body around 2:30 am and sent it to the Mymensingh Medical College morgue for autopsy.