Who took part in attack on Ctg lawyer? 

Three individuals have been identified by The Business Standard among the suspects in the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif in Chattogram on Tuesday (26 November).

TBS identified them analysing some photos and videos of the chaotic protest over the denial of bail and subsequent imprisonment of former Iskcon Bangladesh leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari by a Chattogram court, during which the lawyer was hacked to death.

The newspaper published a photo yesterday (27 November) where the three were seen among others at the scene in the alley where Alif was hacked.

Of them, Shuvo Kanti Das is a student of BGC Trust University Bangladesh in Chattogram's Chandanaish upazila, and Zia Uddin Fahim is the president of Chhatra League's Bakalia Government College unit, police and multiple local sources confirmed TBS.

Rajib Bhattacharya alias Suman is a follower of a leader of the South Chattogram Chhatra League and an employee of a shipping company, they said. 

He was among eight arrested by the Kotwali police as suspects in connection with the murder. The seven others are Rumit Das, Sumit Das, Gagan Das, Nayan Das, Bishal Das, Aman Das, and Sonu Metor, according to police. 

Rajib was seen wearing a helmet and holding a local weapon in the TBS photo. A team from the Detective Branch of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) identified and arrested him yesterday evening, CMP Deputy Commissioner (Crime) Mohammad Rois Uddin told this reporter.

Detective Branch officials said they would launch a drive accompanied by Rajib to detain more suspects. He will later be handed over to the Kotwali police.

About Shuvo, multiple sources claimed that he was a supporter of Chinmoy. The university authorities yesterday suspended him on the allegation of involvement in the attack.

However, while the police confirmed the involvement of Rajib and Shuvo in the lawyer's murder, they said further scrutiny is required to verify the alleged role of Fahim, according to an officer, who preferred not to be named at the stage of the investigation.

Officials from a law enforcement agency reported that individuals identified in the photos include Suman Dandi from the Methor Patti area, Bikash De from Hazari Goli in Kotwali, Narayan Chakraborty from Jalsa Market in Kotwali, and Montu De from Nimtala in the port area. 

However, TBS could not independently verify their identities.

Rana Bamon, a resident of the Kotwali area, said most of those who participated in the attack are residents of Gangabari in the Patharghata area.

According to an assistant sub-inspector from Kotwali, a team from the police station is working to identify all those involved in the murder by collecting various CCTV footage. 

Video collected by the police from the scene shows a group of 15 to 20 people beating and hacking lawyer Alif to death. Some were seen beating him, while others were striking with weapons. 

Two young men wearing helmets were seen hacking Alif, an assistant public prosecutor. Despite the lawyer lying on the ground, they continued to mercilessly beat him.

University suspends Shuvo

The authorities of BGC Trust University made the decision to suspend Shuvo after photos and videos showing his alleged involvement in the attack on the lawyer were shared on social media. 

A notice was issued in this regard, signed by acting registrar SM Shoaib, stating that the decision was made during an academic committee meeting.

Deputy Registrar Salahuddin Shahreir said, "The student was allegedly involved in the murder of a lawyer in Chattogram. Students of the law department submitted evidence regarding the matter. Considering this, the academic council of the law department has suspended his studentship until further notice."

A classmate, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that Shuvo posted various posts in support of the Hindu leader on his Facebook account.

The Facebook account, however, was found deactivated yesterday. 

20 more arrested

Yesterday, during raids in various areas under the Kotwali police station, another 20 individuals were detained and shown as arrested in a case filed for attacking the police.

Fazlul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station, said three cases were filed regarding the attack on the police, obstruction of government work, and vandalism in the court premises. 

"Between 1,100 and 1,200 people have been named as accused in the three cases," he said.

The relatives of the deceased were yet to file a case regarding the murder until the filing of the report at 11:00pm yesterday.

The 27 including the seven murder suspects were sent to Chattogram Central Jail through the court in the evening.

How Alif died 

On Tuesday, Chittagong Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate's Court Judge Kazi Shariful Islam denied the bail petition of Chinmoy, spokesperson of Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, and issued an order to send him to jail.

After the hearing, when Chinmoy boarded a police prison, a mob blocked the roads triggering a clash for 2.5 hours.

In protest against the attack and vandalism, Alif, along with some other lawyers, took part in a march and headed towards Bandil Road. At that time, armed individuals chased them. 

Alif stumbled and fell, while others managed to escape. This was when he was beaten up and hacked.

He was rescued from an alley next to the Kotwali's Rangam Convention Hall at around 3:30pm and taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.