Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Saturday arrested four people, including an adult and three minors, within 12 hours of the fatal stabbing of a youth during a Tazia procession in the capital’s Sutrapur area.
The arrests were made during overnight drives conducted in different parts of Dhaka between 1:10am and 7:00am on Saturday, said Sutrapur Police Station.
Police said the incident took place on Friday afternoon when a Tazia procession started from Bibika Rowza Imambara in Sutrapur and was heading towards Dhanmondi via Chawkbazar and Lalbagh.
Around 4:45pm, as the procession was passing Banglabazar, a group of unruly youths allegedly assaulted and stabbed an unidentified man indiscriminately beneath the Ispahani Building on PK Roy Road.
Police, with the help of locals, rescued the injured man and took him to Mitford Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The deceased was later identified as Md Zakir Hossain, 31, a cleaning worker of Ward No. 26 under Dhaka South City Corporation.
Following the incident, the victim’s elder brother filed a murder case with Sutrapur Police Station against 14 to 15 unidentified people.
Police said they collected CCTV footage from the scene immediately after the incident and identified the attackers after reviewing the footage and gathering information from various sources.
Based on the investigation, multiple police teams carried out raids across the capital and arrested four suspects directly linked to the killing. The arrestees include Md Rashed, 20, and three underage persons, reports UNB.
Police also recovered a switchblade knife, a machete, and the clothes allegedly worn by the suspects during the incident.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspects reportedly said the altercation began over holding the rope attached to the ceremonial Tazia structure during the procession. The argument later turned into a scuffle.
Police said the attackers chased Zakir, who tried to take shelter beneath the Ispahani Building on PK Roy Road, where he was allegedly attacked and fatally stabbed.
Police said other suspects involved in the incident have already been identified and drives are continuing to arrest them.
Legal proceedings against the arrested suspects are underway.
