Bullet found on Rangpur killing spot

Police yesterday recovered one more projectile of a bullet from the spot in Rangpur where Japanese national Kunio Hoshi was shot dead on October 3.

Joynal Abedin, additional superintendent of Rangpur police, said one of their teams found the projectile around 2:00pm while searching the scene in Alutari village of Kaunia upazila.

The bullet could have been used in the murder of the foreigner, he added.

Police had recovered three projectiles from the spot immediately after the killing.

Meanwhile, a Japanese team met Rahat Anwar, deputy commissioner of Rangpur, at his office yesterday noon.

During the meeting, Japanese security officer Kinzu and forensic physician Kursia Martia sought "overall cooperation" from the Rangpur district administration, the DC told reporters later.

"We assured them of full support," he added.

Sweet Ahmed, brother-in-law of Humayun Kabir Hira, who was detained from Shalgariya area in Pabna on Friday, was released yesterday noon.

Hira is a suspect in the case and has already been on police remand. Sweet is a cousin of Sultana Khatun, Hira's wife.

Talking to The Daily Star, Sultana has confirmed the release of Sweet.

Family members of Murad Hossain, Monnaf Ali, Zakariya Bala, Abdur Rashid, Abed Mian and Abdullah said the police were still interrogating the detainees without producing them before the court. Of the detainees, Monnaf and Murad were at Kaunia Police Station. 

Abdus Samad, duty officer at the police station, said the men were kept in police custody for their "own security".

Asked about the detainees, Abdur Razzak, superintendent of police in Rangpur, said they all were "witnesses", and "Police were examining their statements".

The body of Hoshi was still at the mortuary of Rangpur Medical College, said sources there.