Discharge ASI opened fire at Kushtia

The man, who was captured in a video footage firing from a shotgun during a clash between two groups of Awami League supporters after joining a Mourning Day rally in Kushtia Saturday, has been identified as a sacked assistant sub-inspector of police.

The man, Anichur Rahman Anich, was an ASI at the Pallabi police station of the city over one and a half years ago. He was sacked because of appropriating a cache of phensedyl. Since then, he has been residing in his native village Jhalupara of Kushtia sadar upazilla.

Two locals of Jhalupura village and an officer of the district detective branch of police have confirmed the identity.

An official of the detective branch of Kushtia police, who did not want his name revealed, said Anich has fled from the area right after the incident. The owner of the shotgun is the sacked general secretary of AL Kushtia unit, Mominur Rahman Momiz. Police is trying to recover the shotgun, the DB official added.

He also said the process of cancelling the licences of the firearms owned by several AL leaders, including the district Swechchhashebok League general secretary and president along with Momiz, is underway.

The two residents of Jhalupara village said, Anich is a relative of Momiz.

A local Jubo League activist named Shobuz, 24, was killed during the clash between a group of Awami Swechchhashebok League and the supporters of sacked AL general secretary Momiz Saturday.
Officer-in-charge of Kushtia model police station Abdul Khaleq said the deceased’s father is preparing to file a murder case.

He also said that police has conducted a raid in the house of the district Swechchashebok league general secretary, Sazzad Hossain Shobuz, and seized a licensed shotgun, 46 bullets of the shotgun, and 64 bullets of a licensed pistol. However, Sazzad was not at home during the raid, he added.

Additional deputy inspectors general (ADIG) of the Khulna range of police Ekramul Habib visited the scene at around 10:30am Sunday. He talked with the local shopowners and employees in connection with the incident. Later, he told the newsmen, “No one is above law. The person who shot fire will be caught and brought under trial soon.”

Whether there was any police negligence during the incident will be probed as well, the DIG added.