8 sent to jail over Muradnagar triple murder

A Cumilla court has sent eight people to jail in connection with the triple murder in Bangra Bazar of Muradnagar upazila.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Siddik Azad of Cognisance Court-5 passed the order today after police produced five accused — Robiul Awal, 55; Atiqur Rahman, 42; Md Bayez Master, 43; Dulal, 45; and Akash, 24 — before the court.

All of them are residents of Karaibari village in the upazila.

Another accused, Bachchu Mia, 55, was also produced before the same court with the intention of giving a confessional statement under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

However, he later declined to give the statement and was subsequently sent to jail.

All six were arrested in the early hours of Saturday by members of Rapid Action Battalion-11.

Earlier, a special team led by the army arrested two other accused — Sabir Ahmed and Nazim Uddin Babul — from the Akubpur area during an overnight operation.

The court also sent them to jail last night.

With these developments, a total of eight individuals have now been arrested in the case.

Md Sadekur Rahman, court police inspector, confirmed the matter, saying, "The court has sent all eight accused to jail. One of them initially agreed to give a confessional statement but later refused."

He also said a remand prayer for the accused will be heard on the date set by the court.

The arrests follow the brutal killing of Roksana Akter Rubi, her daughter Taspiya Jonaki, and her son Russel, who were hacked to death around 9:30am on July 3 in Karai Bari village.

The attack also left Roksana's two other daughters — Rikta and Ruma — injured.

Rikta Akter, daughter of the deceased Roksana, filed a murder case with Bangra Bazar Police Station on Saturday, naming 38 individuals and 25 unidentified others.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Rikta alleged, "The killing was pre-planned. Chairman Shimul Billal and member Bachchu Mia were leading the attack. If it was not pre-planned, how could they use bamboo sticks with sharpened tips?"

She also said Taspiya's son and two daughters narrowly escaped the attack.