Amini claims Shamim’s death was accidental, says he is not remorseful

Fazlul Haque Amini, the prime accused in mob lynching of Wahiduzzaman Shamim in Debhata, Satkhira, has said he is not remorseful over the killing, claiming that he did not intend to kill the victim and that it happened accidentally.

“I am a criminal in the eyes of the law. You have seen what I did on social media. Allah will decide,” Amini told journalists after his arrest.

Asked whether he regretted the killing, Amini said, “I am not remorseful.”

Addressing the people of the country, he claimed that they had not realised how atheist Shamim was. He said threats from atheists in different countries through phone calls had convinced him that Shamim was an atheist.

Amini was arrested by SRB in Kaliganj upazila around 3pm today (18 October) and handed over to police. Police sent him to the Satkhira court at 4pm.

Debhata Police Station Officer-in-Charge HM Shaheen said Amini had admitted his involvement in the mob lynching. He also said Amini had expressed his intention to give a confessional statement before the court under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

“As he has admitted his involvement and intends to give a confessional statement before the court, there is no need to seek remand,” the OC said.

Wahiduzzaman Shamim was beaten to death in two separate incidents of mob violence in Debhata on Tuesday (13 October) over allegations of insulting Islam. Amini led the attacks, according to the report.

Police have so far arrested three people named in the murder case filed by the victim’s family and sent them to jail.

Following the killing, the family claimed that Shamim was mentally unstable. They said that if anyone was offended by his incoherent statements, the matter could have been dealt with through the legal system.

The family questioned why Shamim was killed through mob violence instead of being dealt with under the law.