Goalpokhar firing case: Police recover firearms, mobile from pond

Raiganj: Police recovered firearms and a mobile phone used in the Goalpokhar firing case, from a pond at Maheshpur under Karandighi police station in North Dinajpur district on Thursday night.

The incident dates back to January 15, when Sajjad Alam, an accused in a murder case, fled police custody while being transported back to Raiganj Jail after a court appearance in Islampur. Near Ekarchala on National Highway 31, Alam requested a toilet break at around 5 pm. As officers escorted him, he opened fire, injuring an ASI and a constable, before fleeing the scene.

On January 18, Alam was killed in a police encounter near the India-Bangladesh border at Kichaktola in Goalpokhar. Subsequently, Abdul Hussain, alleged mastermind of the police firing and an alleged accomplice, was arrested from Rasakhoa in Karandighi.

A resident of Haripur in Bangladesh’s Thakurgaon district, Hussain was remanded to ten days of police custody. During interrogation, he revealed that the firearms were discarded in a pond at Maheshpur. Police drained the pond and recovered the weapons and a mobile phone, allegedly used by Sajjad Alam. Meanwhile, another suspect, Habibur Rahman, was arrested from Balrampur in Katihar district of Bihar on 23 January.

He was taken into 14 days of police custody after being produced in court. Rahman reportedly befriended Sajjad and Abdul while in Raiganj Jail. Previously, Sheikh Hajrat was arrested in connection with the case from Purbo Goldia village in Goalpokhar. Jobby Thomas, Superintendent of Police, Islampur Police District, stated: “We have recovered the firearms and a mobile phone used for firing on the police. With these findings, our investigation continues to track down all involved.”