Accused moving freely, threaten victims' families

Four murders were committed on September 28, 2003 in Rajnagar upazila in Habiganj district and the lone eyewitness to the gruesome incident was picked up from his house and killed on the night of April this year, allegedly by the accused.

All the accused are moving freely in the area brandishing firearms and threatening the victims' families to withdraw the case, it was alleged at a press conference held at Sylhet Press Club on Sunday.

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Police are not arresting the accused as they are influential and known to be men of a local ruling party lawmaker, Rani Begum, daughter of the slain witness Aina Miah alleged. Family members of other victims were also present at the press conference.

In her written statement, Rani Begum said an organised gang of miscreants shot dead four members of a family when an arbitration meeting was going on at Kashimpur village in Rajnagar upazila on September 28, 2003. The victims wee Lulu Miah, 28, his brother Farid Miah, 22, Ripon Miah, 18 and Faisal, 10.

Immediately after the murders, a case was lodged with Rajnagar thana accusing 31 people including Haji Alkas Miah. But none has been arrested yet.

Rather, family members of the victims are being harassed by police following filing of a number of false cases by the killers and their people, she alleged. The autopsy report was also tempered to save the killers, she claimed. The killers, backed by powerful quarters enjoying political clout, are threatening the family members of the victims, she alleged.

"My father Aina Miah was the lone eye witness to the four murders. As he was assisting the victims' families, a gang picked up him from our house in neighbouring Rashidpur village on the night of April 24 this year", Rani Begum said.

The body with multiple marks of injury was recovered from Kushiyara river two days later.

Rani Begum said she filed a case on April 27 but Rajnagar police failed to arrest any of the accused in the two cases.

"We apprehend further attack on us", her written statement said.

The family members demanded immediate arrest of the killers to save the victims' families.