Chattogram police have arrested three individuals in connection with the brutal killing of a man on a deserted road in the port city.
The suspects have been identified as Farhad Ahmed Chowdhury Jewel (42), Anisur Rahman Ifat (19), and a 16-year-old whose name has not been disclosed.
The arrests were carried out during a police operation between 5:00pm and 9:00pm on Tuesday in the 2 No Gate and Shilpakala Academy areas of Chattogram city.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Public Relations) Kazi Md Tarek Aziz, during a press briefing on Wednesday, said that the police were able to identify the suspects with the help of a WhatsApp group named ‘Chattogram Chhatra Janata Traffic Group.’
The investigation revealed that this group was central in coordinating the attack.
Upon further interrogation, it was uncovered that over 20 individuals, including the three arrested suspects, were involved in the fatal assault.
According to police reports, Farhad Ahmed Chowdhury, who acted as the admin of the WhatsApp group, led the attack. He is not affiliated with any political party and reportedly engages in various short-term businesses.
The 16-year-old suspect is currently unemployed and not enrolled in any educational institution, while Anisur Rahman Ifat is a college student from the Chandgaon area.
“The victim, Shahadat, had no prior connection with the suspects,” said ADC Kazi Md Tarek Aziz.
“He was mistakenly identified as a snatcher, which led to the attack, with multiple groups participating in the beating,” he added.
The victim, identified as Shahadat Hossain, was discovered dead near the Badna Shah shrine on August 14. He had sustained severe injuries to his head, throat, and various other parts of his body. Family members later identified his body at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.
The incident took place on August 13 when a group of youths tied Shahadat’s hands to two poles under Gate No 2 of the Akhtaruzzaman flyover and subjected him to a brutal beating.
A 20-second video of this attack, which has since been widely circulated on Facebook, shows Shahadat being assaulted while he was helplessly bound. Shockingly, some attackers were seen singing during the beating.
Shahadat’s wife, Sharmin Akhter, later confirmed to the police that the man in the video was her husband. Shahadat, who worked as a van driver, had been living with his wife and mother in the Boiler Colony area of the BRTC in Chattogram for several years.
