Death of Jubo Dal leader Touhidul in custody: 1 suspect detained

A suspect has been arrested in a case filed in Cuilla alleging that Jubo Dal leader Touhidul Islam was tortured to death after being detained by joint forces. Police and army members arrested him from the EPZ area of ​​Cumilla early Monday.

The arrestee has been identified as Saidul Hasan (45). He is a resident of Italla village in Cumilla Adarsh ​​Sadar Upazila. The wife of the deceased Touhidul Islam filed a murder case with the police station on February 5. Six civilians were accused in the case, with whom Touhidul had a long-standing dispute over land belonging to his family. The arrested Saidul is the fifth accused in the case. In addition, 20 to 25 unidentified people were accused. The statement mentioned that they were dressed in civilian (white) and army-like clothes.

At around 11 am on Monday, Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohinul Islam said, Saidul had been in hiding since the murder case was filed at the police station. The other accused in the case are absconding. The police are continuing their operation to arrest them. The process of sending Saidul to court is underway.

Saidul's two brothers are also accused in the case. A few days after the case was filed, Saidul's father Moktal Hossain and another accused Tanjil Uddin's father Fazlur Rahman of Italla village held a press conference in Cumilla city and claimed that their children were framed due to a land dispute.

Touhidul's elder brother Abul Kalam Azad said, "I don't see any activity from the police in arresting the accused. We are demanding the immediate arrest of all the accused. They were behind my brother's murder over a land dispute. We want justice for the killers.’

Tauhidul Islam is a resident of Italla village in Panchthupi union of Adarsh ​​Sadar upazila of Comilla. He was the convener of the same union’s Jubo Dal. On January 31, Touhidul’s father had a Kulkhani ceremony. His family claims that during the ceremony, members of the law enforcement agencies abducted him from his house at around 2:30 am on January 30. The next day, they found Touhidul’s body lying at Comilla Medical College Hospital. When they went there, they saw signs of torture on Touhidul’s body.

Immediately after the incident, the police said that the army informed the police of the Kotwali Model Police Station to take Touhidul around 11 am on January 31. He was unconscious when he was handed over to the police. Later, after being taken to the hospital, the doctor declared him dead.