Philip Sangma Arrested in India for Helping Main Suspects Flee in Osman Hadi Murder Case

Philip Sangma, who has been accused of helping the two main suspects in the murder of Inqilab Manch convener Shahid Sharif Osman Bin Hadi escape Bangladesh, has been arrested in India.

Diplomatic sources in Kolkata confirmed that Sangma was detained on Saturday near Shantipur in the Nadia district of West Bengal.

West Bengal Police officially informed the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata about the arrest of Sangma, a resident of Haluaghat in Mymensingh.

According to a press release from the West Bengal State Police, the Special Task Force (STF) arrested Philip Sangma after receiving information from a confidential source. During preliminary interrogation, Sangma admitted that he had helped Faisal Karim and Alamgir cross into India through the Meghalaya border. Later, he himself entered India illegally to avoid arrest in Bangladesh.

Following his arrest, Sangma was produced before a court and has been placed in police custody for further interrogation, the STF said.

Earlier, on Saturday night, Indian police arrested the main suspect in the Osman Hadi murder case, Faisal Karim Masud, along with his associate Alamgir Hossain. They were detained during an operation in the Bongaon area of West Bengal, near the Bangladesh border, according to another statement from the West Bengal Police STF.

Osman Hadi was shot on December 12 last year shortly after Friday prayers while he was riding in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Purana Paltan, Dhaka. The assailants shot him in the head and fled the scene on a motorcycle.

Hadi was later flown to Singapore for treatment, where he died six days later.

Police identified former banned Chhatra League leader Faisal Karim and his associate Alamgir as the attackers but were unable to arrest them immediately. According to police officials, both suspects fled to India the same day through the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh after carrying out the attack.

Authorities said preparations had been made in advance to help them cross the border, allegedly arranged by banned Jubo League leader Taizul Islam Chowdhury, also known as Bappi. With the help of local brokers operating along the border, Faisal and Alamgir were taken across into India.

Several brokers in the Haluaghat border area are reportedly involved in illegally transporting people across the border in exchange for money. Philip Sangma is said to be one of them. His home is in Bhutiapara village near the Haluaghat border.

Earlier police operations led to the arrest of two associates of Sangma. They reportedly said that after helping Faisal and Alamgir cross the border, they realized the seriousness of the incident after watching television news reports. They then warned Sangma, who went into hiding.

With Sangma’s arrest, three individuals linked to the Osman Hadi murder case have now been detained in India. Law enforcement authorities said the process to bring Faisal and Alamgir back to Bangladesh has already begun.

So far, 12 people have been arrested in Bangladesh in connection with the Osman Hadi murder case. All of them are listed as accused in the charge sheet. Taizul Islam Chowdhury and another suspect remain at large.

On January 7, the Detective Branch of police submitted a charge sheet against 17 individuals in the case. However, following an objection filed by the plaintiff, Inqilab Manch Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, the court ordered further investigation. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is now conducting the probe.