Man arrested over Mymensingh drum murder, police say blackmail led to killing

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) says it has uncovered the circumstances behind the murder of a 54-year-old man whose body was found stuffed in a plastic drum in a canal in Mymensingh, arresting a man in Gazipur in connection with the case.

PBI said Niranjan Dhar was killed after allegedly recording an intimate video of the suspect, Shamim Mia, and repeatedly demanding money by threatening to expose it. Shamim, 38, was arrested from a rented house in Gazipur’s Board Bazar area around 12:30am Sunday, according to the investigators.

PBI Mymensingh Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman disclosed the details at a press briefing around 11:45am Sunday. Investigators later recovered a grinding stone and a machete allegedly used in the killing from a rented house in Mymensingh based on information provided by Shamim, he said.

According to the PBI account, Shamim had developed a close relationship with Niranjan while working as manager of a garage where Niranjan kept his four auto-rickshaws. Investigators said Niranjan had recorded an intimate video involving Shamim and subsequently demanded money, allegedly collecting around Tk 200,000 while threatening to disclose the matter to his family.

PBI said Niranjan went to Shamim’s rented house on September 21 to demand money again, triggering an argument. Shamim allegedly struck him on the head with a grinding stone before stuffing cloth into his mouth and attacking his head and body with a machete, killing him.

Investigators said Shamim then wrapped the body in a jute sack, placed it inside a large blue rice drum and had it transported under the pretext of moving household belongings. The drum was later taken to Begunbari sluice gate and dumped into the water.

Locals spotted the floating drum on September 23 and alerted police. The body was initially unidentified but was later identified as Niranjan after a token from the Mymensingh Hindu Cooperative Credit Union found in his trouser pocket helped establish his identity.

Niranjan’s wife, Sabita Rani Dhar, filed a murder case against unidentified suspects with Kotwali Model Police Station on September 26.

PBI said Shamim would be produced before a court on Sunday and investigators were examining whether anyone else was involved.