DHAKA, Nov 7, 2024 (BSS) - Police has unearthed the mystery of the killings of two auto-rickshaw drivers in September and October last by arresting three criminals, two of them directly involved in the heinous acts.

The arrested were identified as Jalal Sardar alias Michael (21), Fazle Rabbi alias Kala (25) and Md Imran (30).

Of the arrestees, Michael and Kala were directly involved in the killings of two auto-rickshaw drivers, Zinnah (60) and Anwar (40) while Imran for buying the stolen rickshaw, Md Saleh Uddin, deputy commissioner of Wari Division of police told in a news briefing at the city's Minto Road.

"The duo killed the drivers for snatching away their auto-rickshaws," he said, adding that further investigation into the heinous acts is still going on.
 
Analyzing the facts of the two cases, police have found that technique of the crime is similar in both the incidents of killing auto-rickshaw pullers after snatching away their vehicles and they became sure that a certain criminal gang is involved in the crime.
 
During the investigation, two persons were identified with the help of information technology, including the CCTV footage collected from the scene and the surrounding areas, he said.

On September 21, 2024, auto-rickshaw driver Jinnah (60) left a garage in Jurain, Gandaria with two unidentified passengers from Postgola. As the rickshaw reached near Anjuman Graveyard under Gandaria police station at 3am, the two passengers seriously injured him with sharp weapons from behind.

The criminals ran away when the bystanders came forward hearing the victim's scream and admitted him (the victim) to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with serious injuries, where he died while undergoing treatment.

Jinnah's son, Md Yusuf Hossain filed a murder case with Gandaria police station on September 23, 2024 to this end.

On October 15 last, another auto-rickshaw was stolen after killing the rickshaw driver Anwar (40) by slitting his throat with a sharp weapon at Kachikacha Vidyaniketan Gali on Deennath Sen Road in Gandaria.

The victim's cousin, Md Manik filed a murder case with Gandaria police station on October 21 last.

Initially, police believed that the same criminal gang was involved in the two murders.

After thorough investigation, the police confirmed two criminals Jalal Sardar alias Michael and Fazle Rabbi alias Kala were involved in the killings and arrested them.

During the initial interrogation, Jalal confessed his involvement in the two murders.

He said that Fazle Rabbi Kala was with him in the case of killing of auto-rickshaw driver Jinnah near Anjuman grave site, but he alone killed auto- rickshaw driver Anwar at Kachikacha Vidyaniketan lane on Deennath Sen road.

He said that he sold the stolen auto-rickshaw to a person named Md Imran (30) of Gandaria at Tk 13,000.

On October 25, Gandaria police conducted an operation in the DIT plot area and recovered the stolen auto-rickshaw of deceased Anwar from the custody of Imran and arrested him.

The arrested Jalal Sardar alias Michael gave a confessional statement before a Dhaka court on October 25 last admitting his involvement in the auto-rickshaw robbery and the murder of the rickshaw driver Anwar in front of the grave site.

Fazle Rabbi alias Kala gave a confessional statement before a Dhaka court on November 6, admitting the incident of Jinnah's murder.