In a significant development in the widely reported murder of 28-year-old Deepu Chandra Das in Valuka, Mymensingh, police have apprehended six additional suspects, bringing the total number of arrested individuals in the case to 18. The young man was brutally beaten to death over allegations of religious defamation, and his body was later set on fire.
According to a press release issued on Thursday, 25 December, by the Mymensingh District Police, the newly arrested suspects allegedly coerced Deepu into resigning from his job prior to the attack. The identities and details of the six individuals are as follows:
| Name | Age | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Takbir | 22 | Sunamganj |
| Ruhul Amin | 42 | Thakurgaon |
| Nur Alam | 33 | Mymensingh Sadar |
| Md. Shamim Mia | 28 | Tarakanda |
| Selim Mia | 22 | Noakhali |
| Md. Masum Khalashi | – | Madaripur |
Earlier, twelve suspects had already been arrested, including: Ashikur Rahman (25), Kaiyum (25), Md. Limon Sarkar (19), Md. Tarek Hossain (19), Md. Manik Mia (20), Ershad Ali (39), Nizum Uddin (20), Alamgir Hossain (38), Md. Miraj Hossain Akon (46), Md. Azmal Hasan Sagir (26), Md. Shahin Mia (19), and Md. Nazmul (21).
The case was filed on 19 December by Deepu’s younger brother, Apu Chandra Das, who named 150 unidentified individuals as suspects in Valuka Police Station. Following the complaint, police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) conducted operations across the area, resulting in the arrest of the total 18 individuals implicated in the crime.
Abdullah Al Mamun, Additional Superintendent of Police (Finance & Administration) of Mymensingh, explained that the latest six suspects incited other factory workers to participate in the violence, pressuring Deepu to resign. Authorities are investigating why the victim was handed over to the mob rather than being protected by law enforcement. Further operations to apprehend remaining suspects are ongoing.
The incident occurred on the night of 18 December at Pioneer Knitwears BD Limited in Jamirdia, Valuka. A public mob allegedly subjected Deepu to a brutal beating over claims of religious defamation and later burned his body near the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway. Police recovered the partially charred body around 2:30 a.m. and sent it for post-mortem examination.