Four on death row for killing Muhuri

Life imprisonment for four

Shahidul Islam, Chittagong

The Daily Star, Volume 3 Number 1215 Fri. February 07, 2003

Four Islami Chhatra Shibir cadres were yesterday sentenced to death and four to life imprisonment for killing Principal Gopal Krishna Muhuri in Chittagong.

The Speedy Trial Tribunal found the rest of the 12 accused in the sensational murder case not guilty.

Of the four to die, Alamgir Kabir alias Baittya Alamgir and Taslimuddin Montu were present in the crowded courtroom when Judge M Hasan Imam delivered the verdict yesterday, 15 months after the killing. Gittu Nasir and Azam are absconding.

Also absconding are Shibir activist Habib Khan and Mohiuddin, who were sentenced to life in prison along with another Shibir cadre Chhota Saiful and Md Shahjahan, accountant of the Nazirhat College.

They have also been fined Tk 50,000 each. The judge ordered the Chittagong deputy commissioner to realise the fines through attachment of the property of the accused.

Mohiuddin's brother and Shibir activist Nasir, who was believed to be the mastermind behind the killing, was found not guilty along with Tofazzal Ahmed, Idris Meah Chowdhury and Md Jahurul Haq, three teachers of the college.

The principal was gunned down with an AK-56 rifle at his Jamal Khan residence in the city on November 16 morning in 2001. He died on the spot as bullets blew up his skull. His killing was a sequel to a move by a vested quarter for his removal.

The four sentenced to death can appeal against the verdict within seven days of receipt of certified copies of the judgement.

The punishment of Gittu Nasir, Azam, Habib Khan and Mohiuddin will be effective from the date of their arrest or surrender, the judge said.

In a written reaction, Muhuri's wife Uma said the verdict had ensured justice and was a good start towards establishment of rule of law.

She however urged for an appeal in the High Court against acquittal of four.

The judgement also mentioned how the killing was planned and done. It said there were civil suits against Muhuri, lodged by 15 people including the three college teachers.

Quoting evidences, it said, Habib Khan, Mohiuddin, Gittu Nasir, Chhota Saiful, Azam and Baittya Alamgir had a meeting atop a hill at the Chittagong University on November 10 in 2001 and finalised a plan to kill Muhuri on November 16.

As per the plan, Gittu Nasir, Chhota Saiful, Azam and Baittya Alamgir went to the residence of Taslimuddin Montu at Kapashgola at around 10:00pm on November 15 and examined the effectiveness of a AK-56 rifle, one pistol and two revolvers and loaded those with bullets.

On the day of the killing, Montu hired an autorickshaw at 6:30am. Then, he along with Gittu Nasir, Azam, Chhota Saiful and Baittya Alamgir proceeded towards the Jamal Khan residence of Muhuri. Chhota Saiful remained in the autorickshaw and others entered the house.

Azam, Baittya Alamgir and Gittu Nasir entered the principal's room while Montu was on guard at the entrance with a Spanish pistol.

Gittu Nasir asked the principal's wife Uma Muhuri, "Where is our sir?"

The principal appeared at the living room from inside and sat on a sofa. At this stage, Gittu Nasir shot twice on Muhuri's head with his AK-56 rifle, killing him on the spot, the verdict said.

After delivery of the judgement, journalists rushed to the Jamal Khan residence of Muhuri but found none of the family members except one distant relative. An on-duty police constable there said Muhuri's family members were not at their residence for the last two days.

When contacted over cell phone, the slain principal's son Saikat Muhuri told this correspondent, "The court has done its job well. It identified the culprits and gave them punishment. The truth has been upheld."

Saikat, however, refused to say whether he was happy or not with the verdict.

The acquitted three teachers said the verdict proved that they were innocent and wrongly implicated in the murder case.

Meanwhile, advocate Monjur Ahmad Ansari who appeared for Gittu Nasir said that he would appeal to the higher court against the verdict.