'Mastermind' of murder of Dinajpur pir, disciple arrested: RAB

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has detained the 'mastermind' of murder of a religious group leader and his female disciple from the frontiner area of Bhuringamari in Kurigram district.

The RAB-13 claimed this at a press briefing at its office in Rangpur on Monday.

On 13 March, a pir (religious group leader), Farhad Hossain Chowdhury, 60, and one of his female disciples, Rupali Begum, 18, were killed in his own Khanqah (shrine) in Doula village in Dinajpur.

The RAB also claimed that Md. Shafiqul Islam aka Babu, 28, was the mastermind of the murder plot.

RAB-13 commander ATM Atiqullah said another pir from Kurigram, Ishak Ali, instigated Shafiqul Islam, who has already been detained, to kill the Dinajpur pir, Farhad Hossain and his disciple.

On 15 March, the police detained three people from Kurigram and Dinajpur districts in connection with the double murder.

Atiqullah said two of the detainees have already recorded their statements that revealed that pir Ishak was behind the double murder.

The RAB is now carrying out a 'shadow investigation' along with the police, into the murder incident, the RAB commander added.

Also, Dinajpur police superintendent Md Hamidul Alam confimed that the double murder was the sequel to a conflict between the two religious group leaders.

Pir Ishak and disciple of slain pir Saidur are the masterminds of the murders, according to the police superintendent.

Source: Prothom Alo