Khokon Das hacked, burned to death during mugging attempt: 3 accused confess, sent to jail
The accused are Sohag Khan, 27, Rabbi Molla, 21, and Palash Sardar, 25, all are residents of Koneshwar union in Damudya.
A Shariatpur court has sent three accused to jail after they confessed to the killing of village doctor and businessman Khokon Chandra Das in the district's Damudya upazila on 31 December last year.
The accused are Sohag Khan, 27, Rabbi Molla, 21, and Palash Sardar, 25, all are residents of Koneshwar union in Damudya.
They gave confessional statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before three separate judicial magistrates at the Shariatpur Chief Judicial Magistrate Court yesterday (5 December) and subsequently sent to jail, according to court sources.
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The confessions came after the accused were placed on a two-day remand on 4 January.
Citing statements of the accused, Damudya Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Rabiul Haque told The Business Standard that the attack took place during an attempted robbery.
"The accused had been following Khokon Chandra Das on the day of the incident. As he was returning home after closing his business, they stopped him, attacked him with sharp weapons, and later poured petrol on him and set him on fire," he said.
The OC further said, "The attack was carried out with the intention of snatching valuables. The accused had planned the crime in advance and were carrying petrol with them."
He added, "When locals rushed to the spot after hearing the victim's screams, the attackers fled. They later went into hiding the same night."
The accused were arrested in the early hours of 4 January during a joint operation by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
According to police and family members, the attack took place around 9:15pm on 31 December at Keorbhanga Bazar in Koneshwar union, as Khokon Chandra Das was returning home after closing his shop.
The assailants hacked him with sharp weapons, causing severe injuries, and later poured petrol on his body and set him on fire before fleeing the scene.
Locals rescued him in critical condition and took him to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital.
As his condition worsened, he was transferred to the National Burn Unit and Plastic Surgery Institute in Dhaka, where he died around 8am on 3 January while undergoing treatment.
Following his attack, Khokon's father, Paresh Chandra Das, filed a case with Damudya Police Station 1 January night.
The victim's body was cremated last night at his home village of Tiloi in Koneshwar union.
