Dhaka [Bangladesh], January 9 (HBTV): The Detective Branch of the Bangladesh Police on Thursday arrested another prime accused in connection with the lynching of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh district.
The arrested accused has been identified as 25-year-old Md Yasin Arafat, a resident of Karaitola Mor in South Hobirbari of Mymensingh district. He was apprehended on Wednesday from the Sarulia area under Demra Police Station in Dhaka with the assistance of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the Detective Branch said in a statement.
On December 18, 2025, Dipu Chandra Das, a garment factory worker, was lynched by a mob in Mymensingh district. According to reports, the victim was beaten to death over alleged blasphemy accusations, after which his body was hanged and set on fire.
According to media reports citing Mymensingh Additional Superintendent of Police Abdullah Al Mamun, a factory official had informed Bhaluka police that a group of workers attacked Dipu inside the factory, accusing him of making derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in a Facebook post. Factory sources said the assailants later dragged him outside the factory premises, where local residents also joined the assault, leading to his death.
However, RAB-14 Company Commander in Mymensingh, Md Samsuzzaman, said investigators found no evidence that the deceased had posted or written anything on Facebook that could have hurt religious sentiments, adding that neither residents nor fellow factory workers could point to any such activity by the victim.
According to investigators, Md Yasin Arafat played a leading role in the incident by allegedly raising slogans at the factory gate, leading a group of people and actively participating in the assault that resulted in the victim’s death. Police said he was also involved in dragging the body with a rope and later burning it in the Square Masterbari area.
The Detective Branch said that although the accused is a permanent resident of Bhaluka, he had been living elsewhere for the past 18 months. After the incident, he went into hiding for around 12 days and stayed at various madrasas in the Sarulia area of Dhaka. In an attempt to conceal his identity, he reportedly joined Sufa Madrasa as a teacher.
Based on eyewitness accounts, the situation at the factory gate on the day of the incident and statements of other arrested accused, police said Md Yasin Arafat’s involvement has been clearly established. Operations are ongoing to arrest other absconding accused involved in the case.
So far, 21 accused have been arrested in connection with the murder. Among them, three key witnesses have recorded statements before the court under Section 164 of the Bangladesh Code of Criminal Procedure, while nine accused have given confessional statements under the same provision. Police said 18 accused have already been remanded to jail, and the process of seeking remand for the remaining accused is underway. (ANI)