Rayhan murder: Police ordered to publish notice for fugitive accused
His mother suspects journalist Noman has fled the country
Md Serajul Islam, Sylhet
Publish : 22 Dec 2021, 08:26 PMUpdate : 22 Dec 2021, 08:26 PM
Five of the six charge-sheeted accused were brought to the Sylhet Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Wednesday morning in connection with the murder of Rayhan Ahmed in police custody last year.
They are suspended sub-inspectors Akbar Hossain and Hasan Ali, assistant sub-inspector Ashek Elahi, and constables Harunur Rashid and Titu Chandra Das.
Meanwhile, Judge Amirul Islam ordered the police to place a notice in newspapers asking the fugitive accused, Abdullah Al Noman, a journalist based in Sylhet’s Companiganj, to surrender to the court.
The plaintiff’s legal counsel, Barrister MA Fazlul Chowdhury, said the notice would be published in at least two newspapers, letting Noman know that he would be tried in absentia if he did not appear in court.
Rayhan’s family suspects that Noman may have already fled the country.
Salma Begum, Rayhan’s mother, urged the authorities to have Noman extradited through Interpol, if necessary. “I want my son's killers to be hanged,” she said.
Noman was the correspondent for the online news portal Sylhetview24.com and the Companiganj correspondent of the newspaper “Shubhodin Protidin.”
Both of these organizations relieved him of his responsibilities after his name came up in connection with Rayhan’s murder.
The chargesheet against six people was accepted by the court on September 30 this year.
How Rayhan died
Rayhan was allegedly beaten to death in police custody on October 11, 2020.
Rayhan called his mother from an unknown number in the early hours of October 11 and told her that police had taken him to Bandarbazar outpost and demanded Tk10,000 for his release.
Later in the day, his uncle rushed to the police outpost with Tk5,000 but the cops allegedly refused to accept the bribe and asked him to return after managing Tk10,000.
Rayhan’s uncle then again went to the Bandarbazar police outpost with the money but was told that his nephew had fallen sick and taken to a hospital.
When his uncle went to the hospital, he came to know that Rayhan had died and his body had been sent for autopsy.
Turning down the allegations of custodial torture, police then said Rayhan had been caught by locals in the Kastghar area during a robbery and had been lynched.
Rayhan’s autopsy report revealed over 100 injury marks on his body and that two of his nails had also been pulled out.
The news of Rayhan’s death triggered massive protests by locals as they blocked the Sylhet-Sunamganj Highway, demanding action against the accused cops.
On October 12 last year, Rayhan’s wife, Tanni, filed a complaint at Kotwali police station, following which an FIR was registered against unidentified people.
Four policemen, including then in-charge of the Bandarbazar police outpost Akbar, were suspended on October 12. The three other policemen were also withdrawn from the outpost the same day.
On October 22, then SMP commissioner Golam Kibria was transferred over widespread criticism for the role of police in Rayhan’s death.
On November 29, Dr Shamsul Islam, chief of the Forensic Department of Osmani Medical College Hospital, said Rayhan had died due to severe injuries "according to the viscera report".
On November 18, 2020, a court sent Akbar to judicial custody in connection with Rayhan’s death. He was arrested from the Dona frontier area of Kanaighat on November 10.
Rayhan murder: Police ordered to publish notice for fugitive accused
Five of the six charge-sheeted accused were brought to the Sylhet Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Wednesday morning in connection with the murder of Rayhan Ahmed in police custody last year.
They are suspended sub-inspectors Akbar Hossain and Hasan Ali, assistant sub-inspector Ashek Elahi, and constables Harunur Rashid and Titu Chandra Das.
Meanwhile, Judge Amirul Islam ordered the police to place a notice in newspapers asking the fugitive accused, Abdullah Al Noman, a journalist based in Sylhet’s Companiganj, to surrender to the court.
The plaintiff’s legal counsel, Barrister MA Fazlul Chowdhury, said the notice would be published in at least two newspapers, letting Noman know that he would be tried in absentia if he did not appear in court.
Rayhan’s family suspects that Noman may have already fled the country.
Salma Begum, Rayhan’s mother, urged the authorities to have Noman extradited through Interpol, if necessary. “I want my son's killers to be hanged,” she said.
Also Read- One year on, justice for Rayhan’s death in custody still remains elusive
Noman was the correspondent for the online news portal Sylhetview24.com and the Companiganj correspondent of the newspaper “Shubhodin Protidin.”
Both of these organizations relieved him of his responsibilities after his name came up in connection with Rayhan’s murder.
The chargesheet against six people was accepted by the court on September 30 this year.
How Rayhan died
Rayhan was allegedly beaten to death in police custody on October 11, 2020.
Rayhan called his mother from an unknown number in the early hours of October 11 and told her that police had taken him to Bandarbazar outpost and demanded Tk10,000 for his release.
Later in the day, his uncle rushed to the police outpost with Tk5,000 but the cops allegedly refused to accept the bribe and asked him to return after managing Tk10,000.
Rayhan’s uncle then again went to the Bandarbazar police outpost with the money but was told that his nephew had fallen sick and taken to a hospital.
Also Read- Custodial death of Rayhan: Court accepts chargesheet against SI Akbar, five others
When his uncle went to the hospital, he came to know that Rayhan had died and his body had been sent for autopsy.
Turning down the allegations of custodial torture, police then said Rayhan had been caught by locals in the Kastghar area during a robbery and had been lynched.
Rayhan’s autopsy report revealed over 100 injury marks on his body and that two of his nails had also been pulled out.
The news of Rayhan’s death triggered massive protests by locals as they blocked the Sylhet-Sunamganj Highway, demanding action against the accused cops.
On October 12 last year, Rayhan’s wife, Tanni, filed a complaint at Kotwali police station, following which an FIR was registered against unidentified people.
Four policemen, including then in-charge of the Bandarbazar police outpost Akbar, were suspended on October 12. The three other policemen were also withdrawn from the outpost the same day.
Also Read- Custodial death in Rangpur: HC orders police not to harass victim’s family, locals
Later, the case was transferred to the PBI.
On October 22, then SMP commissioner Golam Kibria was transferred over widespread criticism for the role of police in Rayhan’s death.
On November 29, Dr Shamsul Islam, chief of the Forensic Department of Osmani Medical College Hospital, said Rayhan had died due to severe injuries "according to the viscera report".
On November 18, 2020, a court sent Akbar to judicial custody in connection with Rayhan’s death. He was arrested from the Dona frontier area of Kanaighat on November 10.