Police on Tuesday revealed that Shahriar Alam Shammo, a student of University of Dhaka, was murdered on the night of May 13 after he asked to see a device known as a "Treasure Gun"—an electric shock weapon—being carried by a local drug peddler in Suhrawardy Udyan.
According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Shammo and two of his friends arrived at the park around 11:45 PM on a motorcycle, reportedly looking for food from nearby stalls. While there, they encountered Md. Rabbi, alias Kabutar Rabbi, who was holding the shock device.
Out of curiosity, Shammo asked to see the device. Rabbi refused, leading to a heated argument that escalated into a physical altercation. During the scuffle, Rabbi stabbed Shammo with a switchblade. Shammo was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead around midnight.
Speaking at a press conference at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road, DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali said the incident was unraveled following the arrest of eight individuals in a series of raids conducted by Detective Branch (DB) units across Cox’s Bazar, Munshiganj, and parts of Dhaka.
The arrested include: Md. Rabbi, Mehedi Hasan, Nahid Hasan Papel, Md. Ripon, Md. Sohag, Md. Robin, Hridoy Islam, and Sujon Sarkar. Two of the suspects have already given confessional statements in court. Police have recovered two switchblade knives believed to have been used in the murder.
Earlier on the night of the incident, three others—Tamim Hawlader, Samrat Mallik, and Palash Sardar—were arrested by Shahbagh Police.
DB Joint Commissioner Mohammad Nasirul Islam told reporters that three drug peddling groups operate within Suhrawardy Udyan, with activity concentrated around the Three Leaders’ Mausoleum, the central lawn, and Chobir Haat areas. Mehedi Hasan is allegedly the ringleader of one of these gangs and is said to have supplied the switchblades used in the attack.
"On the night of the murder, Mehedi brought a bag containing the switchblades and distributed them among his associates," said Nasirul. He also stated that investigators are still probing whether there was any deeper motive or planning behind the murder.
