Family members and local BNP leaders alleged that Jubo Dal leader Mesbah Uddin Chontu, whose body was found yesterday, had been killed in police custody.
Chontu, 40, was also a member of Khedapara union parishad in Monirampur of the district. His body was found beside rail tracks in Shatmile Manikdihi area under Jessore sadar around 10am.
His brother Ruhul Quddus Montu claimed that Chontu had been arrested by police in Dhaka on Tuesday while the detectives in Jessore took him into custody the next morning.
Montu said he had met with senior police officers to request that Chontu be produced before the court.
Police, however, denied having detained Chontu. OC Molla Khobir Ahmed said police had been looking for Chontu as he was wanted in 15 cases including two filed for murder.
Montu on Wednesday told reporters that driver of the microbus, on which police brought Chontu to Jessore, had been threatened by the OC to remain silent about the detention and torture of his brother. Chontu was the former Jubo Dal president of Khedapara union unit.
Monirampur Municipality Mayor Shahid Iqbal claimed that Chontu had been killed in police custody.
District BNP General Secretary Syed Saberul Huq Sabu censured police for carrying out state-sponsored crimes. “The police have created a reign of terror by killing political leaders,” he alleged.
Family members claimed that Chontu had been on the run most of the time during the Awami League-led government tenure as he was facing many false cases.
