Manikchari ( Khagrachhari) Correspondent 

Joint forces have arrested seven people including Monsanu Marma, the mastermind behind the controversial Sohel murder in Manikchhari, Khagrachari.

On Sunday, July 20, local residents formed a human chain of Pahari-Bengali people demanding speedy trial of 7 people including Monsanu Marma, the mastermind behind the murder of Sohel.

The human chain demanded judicial proceedings within 7 days. 

On July 4, the joint forces recovered the half-decayed body of Md. Sohel (14), a 7th grade student of Ghorkhana Shahanshah Haque Bhandari Sunnia Dakhil Madrasa in Manikchhari Upazila of Khagrachari and son of Rabeya Akhter of Chadurkhil area, 12 days after his abduction. Earlier, the police arrested 3 of the 5 accused in the case filed by the family of the kidnapped Sohel, but the mastermind of the incident, Monsanu Marma (35), and others remained at large.

Yesterday, July 19, in an army operation in the deep forests of the upazila, the mastermind of the kidnapping and murder of Sohel and the armed terrorist of the township, Monsanu Marma, and Babu Marma, who was involved in the incident, were arrested by the army. So far, 7 people have been brought under the law in this incident, the police said.

According to police sources, on the night of July 4, a madrasa student named Md. Sohel (14) went missing on his way back to his home in the Chadurkhil area of the upazila and unknown persons demanded a ransom of 5 lakh taka on the condition of releasing the kidnapped Sohel! Suspecting some neighbors in this incident, the abductee's family filed a complaint with the police station on July 11. The suspects are Sambu Kumar Tripura (36) of Kasmakarbari Para, Md. Main Uddin (21) and Md. Yasin Mia (28) were arrested by the police.

During the initial interrogation, the detainees confessed to their involvement in the kidnapping, but could not locate the abductee. Later, on July 16, the joint forces recovered the half-decayed body of Sohel, who was kidnapped from a deep forest in the Budangpara Namar Para area of the upazila, with his hands and feet tied. After that, two more people were arrested, but since the main planner of the incident remained out of reach, the Manikchhari Police Station and the Sindukchhari Zone army were working to unravel the real mystery of Sohel's murder.

As a result, the army was able to arrest Monsanu Marma (35) from the deep forest of the upazila on Saturday morning, July 19. Later, when he was handed over to the police station, Monsanu Marma confessed to the kidnapping and murder of madrasa student Sohel during the initial interrogation and narrated the incident. In addition, the accused Shafiullah surrendered to the court immediately after the arrest of Adi Kumar Tripura and Shambhu Kumar Tripura in this incident.

Manikchhari Police Station OC Sheikh Mahmudul Hasan confirmed the matter and said that the main planner and accused involved in the murder of madrasa student Sohel after the kidnapping and murder, and the armed terrorist Monsanu Marma, who is feared in this town, have been brought under the law in a joint force operation. He was sent to jail through the court on Sunday morning.