Self proclaimed 'pir' Shamim murder case: Two held 17 days after

Police have arrested two suspects after 17 days of the killing of self-proclaimed spiritual leader (pir) Baba Kalandar Abdur Rahman, also known as Shamim, in Kushtia’s Daulatpur upazila.

The arrested were identified as Biplob, 26 and Alif Islam, 23, residents of Paschim Dakkhin Philipnagar area in the upazila.

According to police, they conducted a drive in Philipnagar area on Sunday night based on investigation and analysis of CCTV footage captured on the day of the incident, marking the first arrests in the case.

Daulatpur Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Arifur Rahman confirmed the incident.

He added that another individual, Faraj Ali, was brought in for questioning but later released to his family after initial interrogation.

Earlier on April 11, an agitated mob attacked the shrine following allegations of blasphemy stemming from an old video circulated on social media. The attackers vandalised, looted and set fire to parts of the shrine before beating Shamim to death.

Following the death, the victim’s brother, Fazlur Rahman, filed a case with Daulatpur Police Station on April 13, naming four accused and 180-200 unidentified individuals.

SI/AM