Cumilla investigation focuses on Iqbal’s remand
The key suspect, however, is yet to reveal the masterminds behind the Cumilla incident
Investigation of the Cumilla communal violence case prioritises Iqbal and Ekram as police have been questioning them about the masterminds of the incident.
Iqbal allegedly placed the Quran at Nanuar Dighi mandap in Cumilla during the Durga Puja celebration while Ekram called the national emergency helpline "999" to report the "besmirching of the holy scripture".
They were placed on a seven-day remand Saturday. According to police sources, Ekram and Iqbal had been interrogated extensively on the first day, but they had not yet revealed who was behind the incident that fractured communal harmony.
Police say both Ekram and Iqbal are drug addicts and they are also involved in drug peddling.
Seeking anonymity, several Cumilla police officials said it is a very sensitive case, and they are trying to move forward by focusing on every angle of the incident.
They said all-out efforts are ongoing to find out who is behind the incident.
As the reported demeaning of the Quran at Nanuar Dighi mandap spread on 13 October, communal violence erupted in several districts – leaving at least eight dead. Zealots ran amok as Hindu temples were vandalised, homes of the religious community ransacked and set on fire, and their businesses looted.
Analysing closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage, Cumilla police detected Iqbal who was seen bringing the Quran from a mosque and placing it in the mandap.
Iqbal is the son of a local fish trader. He went to school up to class five.
"He started taking drugs at the age of 15," said his mother Amena Begum. Ten years ago, Iqbal was stabbed in the stomach during a fight with his friends which caused him to bleed profusely.
Amena Begum said Iqbal has been abnormal since then. He was beaten by the locals on allegations of theft several times.
Ekram, who called 999 to report the "Quran besmirching" also belongs to a low-income family. He used to do odd jobs.
"Bad influence has spoiled my son," Ekram's mother Selina Akter said.
Some locals said Ekram is a supporter of Cumilla City Corporation Mayor and BNP leader Monirul Haque Sakku, but police are yet to confirm the political affiliation claim.
