Atia Mahal blast case: 3 militants charge-sheeted

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has pressed charges against three militant suspects in a case filed over the anti-militant drive at Atia Mahal in Sylhet in 2017.

Abul Hossain, Inspector of PBI in Sylhet and the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Sylhet Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Saturday.

The accused are Jahurul Haque Jasim, 26, son of Nurul Alam of Naikhongchari upazila in Bandarban, his wife Arjina Begum alias Razia, 19, and Md Hasan, 25.

The drive, “Operation Twilight”, conducted at the house in Shibbari area from March 24 to March 28, 2017. 

In the evening of March 25, 2017, while the drive was ongoing, two grenades were blasted around 400 metres away from Atia Mahal, which claimed seven lives including Rab intelligence chief Lt Col Abul Kalam Azad and two police officers.

Police filed two separate cases, one regarding the militant hideout and another for the twin grenade blast, with Moglabazar Police Station accusing unnamed people after the operation.

Following an order of Police Headquarters on May 9 that year, PBI took over the cases from Moglabazar Police Station and started investigation from May 13.