The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Detectives have arrested six suspected muggers in separate raids in connection with slaying of a civil employee of Bangladesh Army.

The members of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said Wednesday they made the arrests upon a detailed investigation after Bilal Hossain, 40, was killed on July 7.

The alleged muggers are Sabuj, 20, Kabir, 20, Rony, 20, Aminul Islam, 20, Shaheen, 21, and Billal Gazi, 20.

Bilal was stabbed to death by the suspects at about 3:00 am on July 7 when he was on his way to the airport along with another man, Abdul Latif, police said.

They were going to the airport to receive Latif's son who was scheduled to arrive at the airport from Oman at 5:00 am.

Police said they were attacked by the suspects when they boarded a bus from Staff Road Rail gate at the Dhaka Cantonment area to reach the airport. Latif was also injured in the incident.

The muggers, who were on the bus in guise of passengers, stabbed them after they refused to give their mobile phone sets.

A police patrol later found Bilal in front of Munmun Kabab Ghar and took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

The DB police said they started investigation soon after the incident and arrested bus helper Sabuj from Sadarghat area on July 12.

With clues from Sabuj, the detectives raided different places in the city and arrested the rest of the suspects.

The officials also recovered two mobile phone sets from the possessions of Shahin and Billal Gazi.

Police took them on a 4-day remand to get further information.

During interrogation, Kabir made a confessional statement before a magistrate under section 164 of CrPc on July 15, the DB police said.

In his statement, Kabir said that he was driving the bus when the incident took place.

He said Rony, Aminul and Sabuj indiscriminately stabbed Billal and Latif.