Police have arrested three individuals in connection with the killing of a man on a deserted road in Chittagong.
The arrestees are identified as Farhad Ahmed Chowdhury Jewel, 42, Anisur Rahman Ifat, 19, and a 16-year-old.
The arrests were made during a police operation conducted between 5pm and 9pm on Tuesday in the 2 No Gate and Shilpakala Academy areas of the city.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Public Relations) Kazi Md Tarek Aziz said during a press briefing on Wednesday that the suspects were identified with the help of a WhatsApp group titled “Chattogram Chhatra Janata Traffic Group.”
During interrogation, the police learned that more than 20 individuals, including the three arrested, were involved in the attack.
He further said that Farhad Ahmed Chowdhury, the admin of the group led the attack. However, he is not affiliated with any political party and is involved in various temporary businesses. The 16-year-old suspect is not a student and is currently unemployed, while Anisur Rahman Ifat is a college student in the Chandgaon area.
"The victim, Shahadat, had no prior connection with the suspects. He was beaten on suspicion of being a snatcher, with multiple groups of people joining in the assault," Aziz added.
The victim, Shahadat Hossain, was found dead near the Badna Shah shrine on August 14, with severe injuries to his head, throat, and other parts of his body. Family members later identified the body at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
The incident occurred on August 13, when a group of youths tied Shahadat’s hands to two poles under Gate No 2 of the Akhtaruzzaman flyover and brutally beat him while singing. A 20-second video of the beating, widely shared on Facebook, shows Shahadat bound and being attacked.
Shahadat's wife, Sharmin Akhter, confirmed to police that the man in the video was her husband. Shahadat, a van driver, had lived with his wife and mother in the Boiler Colony of the BRTC area for several years.
According to police, the attack likely took place on the evening of August 13, and Shahadat’s body was recovered the next day. His uncle Harun filed a murder case on August 15, accusing unknown persons.
The case statement reveals that Shahadat had left home for work around 2pm on August 13 and told his wife he would return soon. When he did not return by evening, his wife tried to contact him, but his phone was switched off. On the evening of August 14, Harun saw a Facebook post showing Shahadat’s body lying on the roadside near the CSCR Hospital.
Earlier that night, Panchlaish police had rescued Shahadat from the scene and rushed him to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead by doctors. Shahadat’s wife and uncle later identified his body at the hospital.
Additionally, police revealed that deceased Shahadat was accused in six criminal cases at Kotwali police station, including four weapons cases, one for robbery preparation, and one for theft.