Dhaka police have dismissed claims of any political link to the recovery of two bodies from the Turag River in Savar and Ashulia.

Police warned of legal action against those “spreading rumours” that seven Awami League and Chhatra League activists were found dead.

Superintendent of Police Shamima Parveen spoke at a press briefing on Sunday after days of speculation on social media.

On Saturday, Police Headquarters had already described the reports as “baseless”, saying no such incident had been reported and urging the public not to be misled by “false propaganda”.

Addressing the briefing, the SP said rumours had spread after an Awami League procession in Turag on Jun 22, with claims that seven party activists had gone missing.

Fresh posts circulated on Facebook from Friday alleging that three Awami League and Chhatra League activists had been found dead in the river.

Amid the speculation, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy alleged on Saturday that the “Turag incident” was being covered up.

Convicted in a plot corruption case after the Awami League government was ousted during the July Uprising, Joy claimed on Facebook, citing “secret sources”, that an intelligence agency was trying to portray the deaths as accidental.

SP Shamima said Ashulia Police recovered the body of an unidentified person near Goruhata Ghat at 12:10am on Saturday with help from local fishermen.

A mobile phone found with the body led police to the victim’s brother, Salahuddin, who identified him only as Sumon, 17.

She said Sumon’s family requested an unnatural death case, stating he had fallen into the river while hurriedly disembarking from a boat with 20 to 22 friends on Jun 22 and drowned because he could not swim. The body was later handed over to the family.

The SP said another youth, identified only as Rony, drowned while bathing at Royal City Ferry Ghat in Savar on Wednesday.

His body was recovered about 30 minutes later and returned to his family after legal formalities.

Shamima said police saw no political connection in either death and were working to identify and prosecute those spreading “false and misleading” information online.