An inspector of Jalalabad police station has been closed and two sub-inspectors have been suspended after a probe committee found them to be negligent in connection with the brutal murder of 13-year-old Rajon earlier this month.
The punitive actions were taken based on the report by the SMP committee, which found that the policemen had shown negligence in dealing with the case, behaved rudely with the plaintiff, and had assisted one of the suspects to flee the country.
Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Rahmat Ullah confirmed the news to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, saying Jalalabad Inspector (investigation) Alamgir Hossain has been closed and Sub-Inspectors Aminul Islam and Zakir Hossain have been suspended.
The SMP has already taken departmental action against the two SIs, but have recommended the police headquarters to take action against Inspector Alamgir as it was out of the SMP’s purview.
On Thursday night, the probe committee led by SMP Additional Commissioner SM Rokon Uddin submitted a 424-page report to the SMP commissioner. Sources said the committee analysed post-incident call records from the suspects’ mobile phones and pursued other related leads to prepare the report.
Home minister promises stern action
Earlier in the day, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said any police personnel found to be negligent in dealing with the Rajon murder case would face stern departmental action.
Saying no leniency would be shown against any such police official, the minister assured that the ministry – if necessary – would issue directives on this regard if the probe report found proof of any massive negligence in the case.
Talking to reporters at Sylhet’s Osmani airport, Asaduzzaman Khan said if the extradition of Kamrul Islam – one of the key suspects who fled to Saudi Arabia – took too much time because of procedural complications, then the charge sheet may be submitted before his repatriation.
Meanwhile, a source in the police force, requesting anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune that the home minister has held several rounds of meetings with top-ranking officials of the Sylhet Metropolitan Police regarding the Rajon murder case.
On July 8, Sheikh Samiul Alam Rajon was beaten to death in Sylhet’s Kumargaon by some men who falsely accused the teen of stealing a van. The video of the brutal beating soon spread on social media platforms, triggering massive outrage among the public.
Rajon’s family later also claimed that two police officials of the Jalalabad police station took Tk6 lakh in bribe to let Kamrul flee to Saudi Arabia.