Youth arrested in connection with murder of tea stall owner, staff in Gulshan: RAB
He was arrested from Chattogram yesterday during a joint drive by RAB-1 and RAB-7
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a youth identified as Rumman, 27, in connection with a murder case filed over the murder of tea stall owner Rafiqul, 62, and his employee Sabbir, 15, on 28 September.
The prime accused was arrested from Chattogram's Halishahar area yesterday in a joint drive conducted by RAB-1 and RAB-7.
Rumman, a Kishoreganj local, had started working in Rafiqul's tea stall just seven days before the murder, said Lt Col Md Munim Ferdous, director of legal and media wing, in a press briefing at RAB's Media Centre in Karwan Bazar today.
Earlier on September 28, police recovered the bodies of Rafiqul Islam and Sabbir, both who had their throats slit, from the tea stall in Gulshan-2.
Following the incident, Rafiqul's son filed a murder case with Gulshan Police Station.
According to local sources, Rafiqul, hailing from Barishal, used to work as a caretaker of a plot of land on Road-08 in the Gulshan-2 area.
He was also running a small tea and snack stall inside the plot.
Sabbir, who worked as an assistant at the tea stall, was from Gauripur in Mymensingh.
Both Rafiqul and Sabbir used to sleep in a room behind the plot.
The RAB official said Sabbir had been working at Rafiqul's tea stall for about a month.
Recently, Sabbir informed that he would not continue working there from next month.
Later, Rafiqul began looking for a replacement and came across Rumman.
Seven days before the murder, Rumman started working at the stall for a monthly salary of Tk5,000, which included accommodation.
"However, Rumman was involved in a dispute several times with Rafiqul by this time. Rumman devised a plan to teach Rafiqul a lesson and steal valuable items and money from the stall. He shared the plan with two individuals who had enmity with Rafiqul. Later, the duo provoked Rumman to kill Rafiqul."
On the night of September 26, around 2:00am, Rumman attacked Rafiqul with a sharp weapon, striking his head and neck while he was sleeping.
He also attacked Sabbir as he was an eyewitness, the RAB official said.
To escape arrest, Rumman initially took shelter at his sister's house in Kishoreganj but later moved to a relative's house in Chattogram, from where he was eventually apprehended by RAB.
"Two others were involved in the murders and an operation is underway to arrest them," Lt Col Md Munim Ferdous said.