Pabna, Nov 02 (V7N) – The Special Response Battalion (SRB) has arrested a named suspect in the high-profile double murder case in Ataikula, Pabna.

The suspect, Md Musa, 26, son of Abul Kashem of Dharamgram village under Ataikula Police Station, was arrested during an operation at around 5:30am on Sunday.

In a press release issued on Sunday afternoon, Assistant Superintendent of Police Dolly Rani Sarkar, acting company commander of SRB-12 in Pabna, said a team conducted the operation in the Purba Bongram area of Pushpapara under Ataikula Police Station following a tip-off.

According to the SRB, Musa is listed as the ninth named suspect in the case.

Asked whether the arrested suspect had provided any information about the killings, the SRB said it could not disclose details at this stage in the interest of the investigation. Musa was later handed over to Ataikula Police Station for further legal action.

Earlier, at around 4:10pm on Saturday, October 31, Rubel Hossain, brother of slain labour leader Ripon Hossain, filed a double murder case with Ataikula Police Station, 45 hours after the incident. The case was registered as No. 23.

Ataikula Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Pradip Kumar Saha said the case named 15 people as suspects and included another 10 to 15 unidentified individuals.

According to police and local sources, a dispute had been ongoing between two groups over the lease of Pushpapara Haat.

On Thursday evening, October 29, at around 6:45pm, the market's current leaseholder Abdus Salam Haji and his nephew Ripon Hossain were having snacks at their office beside the market when several masked assailants allegedly arrived and opened fire on them before fleeing.

Locals rushed the two men to Pabna General Hospital, but doctors declared them dead.

The victims were Abdus Salam Haji, 55, the suspended president of the Pabna Sadar upazila unit of Sramik League and leaseholder of the market, and his nephew Ripon Hossain, 50, president of the Ataikula union unit of Sramik Dal.

Abdus Salam was the son of the late Arz Ali Bepari of Dharamgram, while Ripon was the son of the late Omed Ali of the same area.

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