Father of Student Who Killed Savar Teacher with Cricket Stump Arrested

Police have arrested the father of the accused student who killed college teacher Utpal Kumar Sarker with a cricket stump in Ashulia of Savar.

Thirty-five-year-old Utpal, son of late Ajit Sarkar of Ullapara upazila of Sirajganj, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at the Savar Enam Medical College and Hospital at 5:15 am on Monday.

Ujjal, the father of 16-year-old Ashraful Islam Jitu, prime accused in the case filed over the death Utpal, was arrested from ​​Kushtia's Kumarkhali area on Tuesday night.

Ujjal is a resident of Chitrashail area of ​​Ashulia, confirmed SM Kamruzzaman Khan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Ashulia police station, to the media on Wednesday.

He said, "The accused student's father has been arrested from Kushtia. He will be presented before the court today (29 June). We will seek a 10-day remand to interrogate him." 

When asked if the father is directly involved in the killing of the teacher, the OC said, "The matter is being investigated. Efforts are underway to catch the main culprit, Jitu."

Utpal was a lecturer in the political science department and chairman of the disciplinary committee at Hazi Yunus Ali School and College in Chitrasail area of Ashulia for some 10 years.

Accused Jitu, a student of the same institution, has been absconding since the incident.

"A case has been filed by the victim's brother. Jitu along with some unidentified individuals have been accused in the case. Efforts are underway to catch the culprits," said Ashulia police station Sub-Inspector (SI) Emdadul Haque.

Saiful Hasan, principal of Hazi Yunus Ali School and College, said, "Every year we host cricket and football tournaments for our students. On Saturday (27 June), a girls' cricket match was taking place. Everyone was watching the game."

"Around 2pm, a student suddenly struck Utpal with a cricket stump while he was standing on one side of the field. Utpal was rescued and admitted to Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar."

Aseem Kumar Sarkar, the deceased's brother and the one who filed the case with Ashulia police station, said, "The student hit my brother as disciplinary action was taken against him for eve-teasing." 

He urged the prime minister and the education minister to intervene in the matter to ensure justice for his brother.