Shillong, Dec 28 (IANS) Meghalaya Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday categorically denied reports claiming that two accused in the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi (32), a spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha group, had fled from Bangladesh into India and were arrested in the northeastern state.

Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang told IANS that no accused had been arrested by the state police in connection with the murder of Osman Hadi.

Another senior Meghalaya police official said: “This is a false narrative emerging from a section of the Bangladesh media. It is creating confusion among the public and attempting to disturb peace and tranquillity in Meghalaya, which shares a sensitive international border and routinely deals with trans-border crimes.”

BSF Meghalaya Frontier Inspector General O.P. Upadhyay said it was untrue that any murder accused had been arrested at the state’s border in recent times.

“It is a malicious and fabricated propaganda,” the IG told the media.

Earlier on Sunday, Bangladesh media quoted Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) S.N. Nazrul Islam as saying that the prime accused in the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi and his associate had fled to India.

“Two Indian nationals assisted them in fleeing, and the Meghalaya Police have arrested those two Indian citizens,” the reports quoted the DMP official as saying.

The Additional Commissioner also reportedly said that so far 11 people had been arrested in connection with the Hadi murder. Of them, six have given confessional statements before a court under Section 164, while four witnesses have also recorded confessional statements in court.

The DMP official told media in Dhaka that the investigation into the Hadi murder case was in its final stage and that the charge sheet would be submitted within the next seven to ten days.

He also reportedly said that many of those behind the killing had been identified, though not all names could be disclosed in the interest of the investigation. Based on information gathered so far, the killing appeared to be politically motivated.

Meanwhile, according to Bangladesh media, unrest erupted in several parts of Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, following Hadi’s death.

Hadi, a key figure in last year’s uprising against the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, was shot by masked gunmen while leaving a mosque in Dhaka on December 12.

He was initially admitted to a hospital in Bangladesh and later flown to Singapore for treatment, but succumbed to his injuries on December 18.

The developments have raised concerns over safety, communal harmony and regional stability. Bangladesh has also witnessed escalating violence against minorities, including Hindus, under the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, triggering outrage among people and several human rights organisations globally.

Bangladesh has seen a sharp rise in violence and a deterioration in the law-and-order situation under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration.

–IANS

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