Suspect police; family denies dispute, files case; 2 held

The 26-year-old CNG-run autorickshaw driver who was shot dead in the capital's Jurain area on Monday night was targeted by top drug dealers over previous enmity, police said.

The family, however, said the deceased, Pappu Sheikh, had no dispute with anyone.

Meanwhile, Rab-10 has arrested two FIR-listed accused: Yousuf Sarder, 45, and Uzzal alias Kanchi, 30. A team arrested the two from Alambagh in Jurain around 11:15am yesterday, according to a press release.

Pappu's father, Montu Sheikh, filed a murder case with Kadamtali Police Station accusing four, including Uzzal and Yousuf, who are listed as narcotics traders, said Md Ayub, officer-in-charge of the station.

Uzzal was accused in three narcotics cases, while Yousuf was accused in two.

The OC said the initial investigation indicates there may have been prior disputes over drug-related matters. Over this, absconding accused Bapparaj and others shot Pappu dead as he went to the spot with Bapparaj's rival group.

Police are conducting drives to arrest Bapparaj, he said.

Speaking to this newspaper, Montu, who is also an auto-rickshaw driver, said his son worked as an auto-rickshaw driver.

"On Monday morning, Pappu went to visit his in-laws' house next to ours with his wife and children. In the evening, we heard narcotics trader Bapparaj shot him and left him there," he said.

He said they later found Pappu with bullet wounds at Ad Din Hospital and rushed him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Montu said, "There had been no previous conflict between his family and the accused. They shot my son for no reason."

"I had only two sons. They shot one of them dead..."

Pappu's younger brother, Hridoy Sheikh, who works at an internet office, said Bapparaj is the son of another top drug dealer Kana Jabbar and is widely known in the locality. "As far as we know, my brother had no dispute with Bapparaj or anyone else. My brother is gone. What will happen to his child now?"

OC Ayub said CCTV footage shows Pappu scuffling with Bapparaj and seven to eight others.

At one stage, either Bapparaj or someone else shot him. He was taken to a private hospital and later shifted to DMCH, where he died, he added.