Lalmonirhat lynching: One accused gets bail

The High Court has granted bail to one of the accused in the murder case of Shahidunnabi Jewel, who was beaten to death by an agitated mob in Lalmonirhat's Patgram last year.

The bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir Lytton passed the order after holding a virtual hearing on the bail petition filed by accused Md Shariful on Sunday.

Advocate Hasan Mahmud Khan represented the petitioner during the hearing, reports Bangla Tribune.

Also Read- 4 more arrested over Lalmonirhat lynching

On October 29, 2020, Jewel, 50, was beaten to death by an angry mob on the Burimari Union Parishad premises over rumours of Quran desecration.

The mob then took his body some 300 metres away to the Prothom Bashkol area on Lalmonirhat-Burimari highway and set it on fire, fuelled with dried materials, tyres, and petrol.

Over a thousand people were present during the incident, including people from outside Lalmonirhat, according to Patgram Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kamrun Nahar.

Also Read- Lalmonirhat Lynching: Jewel’s companion Sumon recounts the horrific tale

On October 31, the victim's cousin Saiful Alam filed a case naming 43 people and hundreds unknown while Burimari Union Parishad Chairman Abu Syed Newaz Nishat lodged another case naming 22 people and hundreds unknown.

The third case was filed by Patgram police station Sub-Inspector Md Shahjahan.

Two probe committees – one by the district administration and another by the National Human Rights Commission – were formed to investigate the incident.

Meanwhile, the NHRC said they had not yet found any proof of Quran desecration.