Man arrested with Yaba in Cumilla dies in police custody, tug-of-war over political identity
Cumilla Correspondent
A man arrested with Yaba in Cumilla died in police custody. Police arrested five people with 70 pieces of Yaba in Muradnagar, Cumilla on Thursday.
Among them, a man Sheikh Jewel (45) died in police custody. The deceased Jewel is the son of the Sheikh Golam Sarwar of Sheikh Bari in Bangra village of the upazila. He had a business of providing broadband internet connections in that area. However, the wife of the deceased Jewel, Shilpi Begum, is alleging that Jewel died due to police torture.
He was an active BNP worker, said Muradnagar Upazila BNP convener Mohiuddin Anjan. His brother is the organizing secretary of Bangra Purba Union Jubo Dal. However, news of Jewel's involvement in Jubo League politics at various times in the past has been spread through social media. The family alleges that Jewel died due to police torture.
He was an active BNP worker, said Muradnagar Upazila BNP convener Mohiuddin Anjan. His brother is the organizing secretary of Bangra Purba Union Jubo Dal. However, news of Jewel's involvement in Jubo League politics at various times in the past has been spread through social media. The family alleges that Jewel died due to police torture.
Police said that five people were arrested from Bangra area of the upazila on Thursday afternoon while consuming drugs. 70 yaba pills were recovered from them. Later, they were taken to the police station. After being brought to the police station, Sheikh Jewel felt unwell and was taken to the Upazila Health Complex at 8:50 pm. The doctor declared him dead there.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Sirajul Islam said, "Jewel was brought to the hospital at around 9 pm on Thursday. We found Jewel dead. There were no signs of injury on his body."
Additional Superintendent of Police (Muradnagar Circle) of Cumilla AKM Kamruzzaman said, "Sheikh Jewel is a known drug addict and businessman. An autopsy report is needed to know the exact cause of his death. However, the allegations being made against the police station are not correct. It can be said by looking at every CCTV camera stored in our police station. Jewel also has a history of heart disease. '
Sheikh Jewel's cousin and local BNP leader Sheikh Shafiqul Islam said that Jewel was arrested led by SI Al-Amin of Bangra Bazar Police Station. Later, he (SI Al-Amin) said that Jewel was taken to the hospital. He was found dead there.
After being arrested, the police took Sheikh Jewel to the police station. His wife Shilpi Begum met him there. He said, I came to know after noon yesterday that the police had arrested him. I went to the police station and met him. He was healthy. He told me, "I have not done anything, make arrangements for my release." Then I got the news that he had died. A healthy person cannot die like this. He was tortured to death.'
Meanwhile, locals protested in front of the Muradnagar Upazila Health Complex last night to protest the death of Sheikh Jewel in police custody. However, after Jewel's death, a tug-of-war started over his political identity. BNP leaders and supporters say that Jewel is currently involved in BNP politics. However, social media posts by people supported by the Awami League in Muradnagar Upazila say that Jewel was a Jubo League activist.
However, BNP leaders have demanded a speedy investigation into Jewel's death and exemplary punishment for those responsible. Last night, Kazi Shah Arfin, the younger brother of former MP and BNP Vice Chairman Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain (Kaikobad), wrote in a Facebook post, 'A BNP activist was killed in police custody at Bangra Police Station in Muradnagar, against whom there was no case. The death of a citizen without any crime in a police station in a free country is not only inhumane, it is a naked manifestation of state abuse and repression. If people are killed in the name of justice, then it is not called justice, but barbarity. We demand a speedy investigation into this incident and exemplary punishment for those responsible.’
A person Shahedul Alam Shahed, who is also known as the former convener of Muradnagar Upazila Chhatra League, wrote in a Facebook post about Jewel’s death, ‘Death of Bangura Union Jubo League leader Jewel, elder brother of Jubo Dal leader Rubel in Bangra Bazar Police Station custody. Sheikh Jewel, a WiFi network businessman from Bangra village of Bangra Bazar Police Station in Muradnagar Upazila, Organizing Secretary of Ward No. 3 of Bangla Union Jubo League and former Chhatra League leader, fell ill in police custody and was brought to Muradnagar Upazila Health Complex where he died.
The wife of the deceased Jewel failed to release him despite repeated attempts. She also claimed that there was no case against her husband at the police station. Despite this, Jewel died due to police torture. She demanded immediate punishment of the guilty police.
