Lawyer Beaten in Two Phases, Eight Identified in Incident: Police

Lawyer Naim Kibria Kani (35) was beaten to death in two phases in the Bashundhara Residential Area of the capital. Police disclosed this information citing the confessional statement given in court by the prime suspect, Md. Zobayer Hossain Pappu (29). Police also said that 7 to 8 more people have been identified as suspects in connection with the incident.

On Monday, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana recorded the statement of the accused Pappu and ordered that he be sent to jail. According to police, the incident originated from a collision between the lawyer’s private car and a motorcycle on the road. Several motorcycle riders and passengers beat the lawyer to death. However, the victim’s relatives suspect that it may have been a planned killing.

Police said that on the night of December 31, Naim Kibria went to the Bashundhara Residential Area in his private car. At that time, a motorcycle collided with his car. An argument began over the issue. During this time, unidentified individuals on 3 to 4 motorcycles indiscriminately beat Naim. Later, around 10:45 pm, Naim was rescued and taken to Kurmitola General Hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. In connection with the incident, the victim’s father Golam Kibria filed a case at Vatara Police Station on January 2.

Vatara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Imaul Haque said that the argument started from the incident of a motorcycle hitting the lawyer’s private car on the road. Later, riders from several other motorcycles gathered and began beating the lawyer. Apart from this, no other motive behind the killing has been found. One person has been arrested and others are being searched for.

He further said that the victim and those involved in the killing were not previously acquainted.

Police said that on January 4, the main suspect Pappu was arrested from the Baridhara area by RAB-1. As the accused voluntarily agreed to give a confessional statement, the investigating officer applied to have it recorded. The application stated that evidence had been found proving the accused’s involvement in the incident. After reviewing CCTV footage from around the scene, it was seen that Pappu, along with two to three other motorcycles, chased lawyer Naim’s private car from Road No. 15 of Block I in the Bashundhara Residential Area. They blocked the entrance of Road No. 7 of Block I with barricades and stopped the car. When the victim Naim got out of the car, Pappu and five to six other unidentified individuals suddenly attacked and assaulted him. After the first phase of beating, Naim was forcibly lifted onto a motorcycle and taken beside Road No. 15 of Block I. Later, another seven to eight unidentified individuals beat Naim there.

The victim’s maternal cousin Rakibul Islam Shamim said that recently some youths went to Naim’s house in Pabna on motorcycles looking for him. No family members were present at the time. However, neighbors said that the youths threatened to kill Naim if they found him. For this reason, there is no scope to consider his death as normal. Many people from Pabna live in the Bashundhara area. It is possible that someone recognized Naim and then created a mob and killed him. Otherwise, beating someone to death over a motorcycle collision does not seem believable.

Family sources said that Naim was the elder of two brothers. His younger brother Fahim Kibria is studying at the higher secondary level.