Rajshahi cops release trader amid protest

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Boalia police released a businessman after two and a half hours of the arrest as hundreds of cloth traders laid siege to the police station protesting "unfair arrest" Thursday night.

Police said, a team of Detective Branch (DB) and Malopara police arrested Shamim Ahmed, owner of Alam Cloth Store, around 8:00pm on recovering 50 grams of heroin from his motorcycle parked outside the shop.

Shamim was released around 11:00pm upon an undertaking by Rajshahi city's Panel Mayor Shariful Islam Babu in the face of the protest.

The agitating traders alleged that some policemen or hired goons hid the heroin in Shamim's bike to satisfy a grudge as he denied a policeman 'Eid gifts.'

Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Sarder Nurul Amin said, "We released Shamim sensing a conspiracy as claimed by the traders."

He formed a two-member probe team led by assistant commissioner of DB Tariqul Islam to look into the matter and find out the source of the drug.

Shamim told senior police officials and reporters present at the police station that he was unaware of the heroin and blamed Sub Inspector Saiful for the harassment.

He said he gifted SI Saiful's daughter clothes on Eid-ul Fitr because he (Saiful) once helped him solve a problem. Now before Eid-ul Azha, Saiful again demanded clothes for his family and relatives. Refused, the SI became furious, Shamim added.

"Usually DB personnel prepare a seizure list on the spot and lodge cases after such raids. In this case, they sent the arrestee and seized heroin to police station and did not record any case", Assistant Commissioner Jahangir told The Daily Star.

Meanwhile, Rajshahi Bastra Babosayee Samity demanded proper investigation and punishment of responsible persons in 24 hours at a protest meeting in Shaheb Bazar yesterday afternoon.

While the meeting was going on, leader of the probe team and AC DB Tariqul Islam apologised on behalf of police for arresting Shamim.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=114026