3 held over Tangail tailor killing

Three people were detained by police over the incident of killing of a Hindu tailor Nikhil Joardar in Tangail early Sunday.

Confirming the matter, Additional Police Superintendent (North) Aslam Khan said they arrested the three people from different places of Gopalpur and Madhupur.

The detainees were identified as Rafiqul Islam Badsha Miah, Gopalpur upazila unit Jamat-e-Islami general secretary, Aminul Islam, superintendent of Gopalpur Alamnagar Madrassah and local Bangladesh Nationalist Party activist Jhantu.

Earlier on Saturday night, Arati Jowardar, wife of slain Nikhil Joardar, 50, filed a case with Gopalpur police station accusing three unknown persons in connection with the killing.

Additional superintendent of police Sanjay Sarker said police also filed another case under arms and weapons act with Gopalpur police station accusing some unknown people over the matter.

Knife-wielding assailants hacked Hindu tailor Nikhil Chandra Jowardar to death at Dubail of Gopalpur in Tangail on Saturday noon.

In 2012, Nikhil was in jail for several weeks on charges of making derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), police said.

This could be a possible motive behind his murder, police sources said.

Hours after the incident, global terror outfit Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the killing, US-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors terrorist activities globally, said in a post.

The authenticity of the claim could not be independently verified.