Satkania lynching: Weapon looted from police station used by a victim
Pistol recovered was stolen during unrest after 5 August
One the victims of mob lynching in Satkania on Monday night had fired several rounds of bullets from a pistol looted from Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram city.
One of the deceased, Nezam Uddin, fired the pistol before the fatal attack, Chattogram District Superintendent of Police (SP) Saiful Islam said during a press conference today (6 March).
Nezam Uddin, 45, along with Mohammad Salek, 35, was beaten to death by a mob around 10pm on Monday in the Chankhola Paschimpara area of Eochia Union of Satkania.
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Police recovered the pistol from the scene that night and have filed a case in connection with the recovery.
"The pistol recovered has been confirmed to be among the weapons stolen during the unrest following the removal of the Awami League from power on 5 August," said SP Saiful.
During that period, protestors looted 813 firearms and 44,324 rounds of ammunition from eight police stations and outposts in Chattogram. The majority of these weapons remain unaccounted for, he added.
He further said Nezam and Salek were known for extortion activities in the area. On the day of the incident, they arrived with seven CNG-run auto-rickshaws and brandished weapons at local businesses.
The mob beating was reportedly initiated following an announcement from a mosque loudspeaker claiming robbers had arrived. Four others, including a shopkeeper, were shot during the altercation.
He also revealed that both Nezam and Salek had criminal records. Salek faced two murder charges, while Nezam had been involved in five criminal cases, including explosives-related offenses.
Addressing rumours surrounding the potential political involvement in the lynching, Saiful said, "We found no evidence of political involvement. The motive appeared to be related to local disputes rather than political tensions."
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami's Kanchana Union Secretary, Zayed Hoshen, claimed that the two victims were active Jamaat members, alleging they were lured to Eochia under the pretext of an arbitration meeting and killed in a premeditated attack.
However, Jamaat's Upazila Amir, Maulana Kamal Uddin, denied the claim, stating that the victims were not officially listed as members but acknowledged that Jamaat had strong support in the Satkania-Lohagara region.
