Indian police arrest a third man for allegedly aiding suspects in the killing of Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a case that sparked violent protests.

KOLKATA: Indian police have arrested a third suspect in connection with the murder of a prominent Bangladeshi student leader.

West Bengal’s Special Task Force arrested Philip Sangma on Saturday for allegedly helping two prime suspects enter India illegally after the killing.

Superintendent Indrajit Sarkar said Sangma was held “for facilitating the illegal entry of the two prime suspects in the murder of Bangladeshi youth activist (Sharif Osman) Hadi.”

Sangma appeared in court and was remanded to police custody for one week.

The two main suspects, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain, were arrested by Indian authorities on March 8.

They are accused of shooting Sharif Osman Hadi, a vocal critic of India, in Dhaka on December 12.

Hadi later died from his injuries in a Singapore hospital.

He was a leading figure in Bangladesh’s 2024 mass uprising.

The suspects allegedly fled Bangladesh through the Haluaghat border into India’s West Bengal state after the attack.

Hadi’s killing triggered violent protests across Bangladesh, with mobs torching buildings including two major newspapers and a cultural institution.

The newspapers were seen as favouring India, reflecting deep political tensions.

The murder further strained relations between India and Bangladesh, which had been fraying since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India.

India’s foreign ministry has rejected what it calls “false narratives” about New Delhi’s involvement in the case.

In a potential diplomatic thaw, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently congratulated the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on its election win.

This followed the first parliamentary elections since Hasina’s exit from power.

 The Sun Malaysia