Police yesterday arrested two people in connection with the gruesome murder of Jubo League activist Mohiuddin Mohid, who was hacked to death allegedly by a group of Awami League men in Dakshin Madham Halishahar area of Chittagong city on Monday.

Nur Sahar Begum, mother of Mohiuddin, filed a case naming Hazi Iqbal and 17 others, including Iqbal's brother Murad, BCL man Biplob, and Musa. Seventeen other unnamed people were also made accused in the case, said Inspector (investigation) Bikash Sarkar of Bandar Police Station.

“We suspect it's a planned murder,” said Bikash, adding that police were trying to arrest the suspects and recover the weapons.

The prime accused Hazi Iqbal is on the run but police arrested two people -- Tanvir Bappi, son-in-law of Hazi Iqbal, and Md Musa, an employee of Meher Azfal High School where the murder took place, said police sources.

Witnesses and police said the killers went to school equipped with sharp weapons with an aim to kill Mohiuddin and they took around 10 to 14 minutes to complete the mission.

Iqbal is the president of Patenga-Bandar Unnayon Songram Parishad, said police sources.

Hasan Murad, president of 38 ward AL unit and also president of the school managing committee, said, Iqbal does not hold any post in any AL unit, but he introduces himself as an AL leader.   

Md Mahfuzul Islam, headteacher of Meher Afzal School, said, “When I tried to resist the attackers, they pushed me out and locked my room. Later, I informed the matter to the others and informed police.”

RIVALRY STARTED LAST YEAR

Family members and fellows of Mohiuddin said he was previously loyal to Hazi Iqbal but later left Iqbal's group due to ideological conflict and controversial activities of Hazi Iqbal.

Victim's paternal uncle Mohammed Ali Moinu, also the teacher of the school, told The Daily Star: “Hazi Iqbal and his brother's men stabbed me last year following a feud over a reunion programme of the school. That time, Mohiuddin was loyal to Iqbal...”

“Following the incident, Mohiuddin left Iqbal's group and took firm stance against Iqbal that led to the feud,” added Mohammed Ali.