Bachchu Miah, one of the accused in the killing of four children in Habiganj, was killed in a reported gunfight with the members of Rapid Action Battalion at Deorgach in Chunarughat of the district early Thursday.
Kazi Maniruzzaman Monir, commanding officer of RAB-9 Srimangal camp, said they responded to a tip-off that Bachchu Miah was attempting to flee into India through Deorgach border point, a team of the battalion conducted a drive there around 4:30am.
Sensing the presence of the battalion members, Bachchu along with his accomplices started to open fire on them.
The RAB personnel also retaliated leaving Bachchu dead on the spot. They also arrested his accomplice Shahed at the spot.
A total of seven people have so far been arrested in connection with the gruesome murder of the four schoolboys.
Earlier, the judicial magistrate court recoded statements of three arrestees in the case.
Shahidul Islam, additional superintendent of police, said Arju in his statement disclosed the name of another perpetrator of the killing.
Arju also revealed that eight to nine people had involvement in the murder, he added.
Earlier, Rubel Miah and his elder brother Jewel Miah gave their statements before the court under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure on February 19 and February 21 respectively.
The four schoolboys were found buried at Sundrateki in Bahubal on February 17. They had gone missing from the village on February 12.
On February 17, police arrested Abdul Ali and his son Jewel Miah in connection with the gruesome murder. They were placed on a 10-day remand the following day.
Police had also arrested Rubel, Arju, Bashir and Saleh Uddin in connection with the incident.
Later, a court placed Arju on a seven-day remand while Bashir on a five-day remand.
Police said Abdul Ali of Sundrateki village had been at loggerheads with panchayet leader Khaleque Master over establishing supremacy in the locality.
Abdul Aziz, father of victim Tajel Miah, was known as the right hand of Khaleque Master.
CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver Bachchu of the village was also a supporter of Khaleque Master. However, he was expelled from the panchayet following a dispute with the leader.
Later, Abdul Ali along with Bachchu worked out a plan to ‘teach Khaleque Master a lesson’ and they targeted Abdul Aziz first. They decided to kill Aziz or his son to take revenge on the panchayet leader.
Rubel and Bachchu had planned to kidnap Aziz’s son Tajel from a football match scheduled to be held on February 12.
Superintendent of police Joydeb Kumar Bhadra said Bachchu tactfully took the four children into his auto-rickshaw in the afternoon of February 12. Later, Rubel, Arju and several others joined him and made the children unconscious.
They strangulated the four children inside the three-wheeler and kept the bodies at the garage of Bachchu. They buried the bodies under the ground on February 13.
Informed by locals, police recovered the bodies of Zakaria Ahmed Shuvo, 8, son of Wahid Miah, his two cousins-Tajel Miah, 10, son of Abdul Aziz, Monir Miah, 7, son of Abdal Miah-and Ismail Hossain, 10, son of Abdul Quadir.
Police seized the auto-rickshaw used for carrying the four children.
