Indian authorities have rejected as “false and fabricated” the claim by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) that Meghalaya Police arrested two Indian nationals for allegedly helping the prime accused, Faisal and Alamgir, flee after the murder of Osman Hadi.
At a press conference held at the DMP Media Centre on Sunday, Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Md Nazrul Islam claimed that Meghalaya Police had arrested two Indian nationals named Purti and Sami for assisting the accused in escaping. He said the information had been confirmed through communication with Meghalaya Police.
However, contradicting Nazrul Islam’s claim, a report published by the Indian daily Hindustan Times said Meghalaya Police had denied making any such arrests. The report stated that there had been no formal or informal communication with Meghalaya Police from Bangladesh. Police headquarters further said that no individuals named Purti or Sami had so far been identified, traced or arrested.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of the Border Security Force (Meghalaya Frontier) OP Upadhyay also dismissed the claim, saying, “There is no evidence that any individual crossed the international border into Meghalaya through the Haluaghat sector. The BSF has not detected or reported any such incident. These claims are baseless and misleading.”
In light of the conflicting statements, The Times of Bangladesh spoke to DMP Additional Police Commissioner Md Nazrul Islam. He told The Times, “They will not admit it. Because the moment they admit it, a responsibility will fall on them. Their refusal to acknowledge it is natural.”
Earlier, at the press conference, Nazrul Islam told journalists, “Bangladesh has an extradition treaty with the Government of India. We are trying through formal channels. At the same time, efforts are underway through informal channels, using personal contacts, to bring the criminals back to the country quickly.”
According to the DMP, immediately after shooting Osman Hadi, Faisal and Alamgir travelled from Bijoynagar in Dhaka to Aminbazar by a CNG-run autorickshaw. From there, they went by car via Manikganj and, as pre-planned, reached the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh. In the border area, two individuals named Philip Paul and Sanjay received them and illegally helped them cross the border. Later, with the assistance of two individuals named Purti and Sami in the Indian state of Meghalaya, the accused took shelter in the city of Tura.
Regarding the motive behind the killing, Nazrul Islam said, “After 5 August, Osman Hadi was very vocal and outspoken. We suspect that a party affected during that period may be involved in this murder.”
On 12 December, while Osman Hadi was travelling in an autorickshaw on Box Culvert Road in Bijoynagar, Dhaka, Faisal shot him from a moving motorcycle alongside. He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a critical condition and later admitted to Evercare Hospital. He was flown to Singapore for advanced treatment on 15 December, he died there on the night of 18 December while undergoing treatment.
