West Bengal Police have denied social media claims that their Special Task Force arrested five people accused of aiding the killers of Inquilab Manch spokesperson Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi. In a post on their official X handle on Monday, the police stated that such reports were entirely baseless. The post did not mention Osman Hadi or Bangladesh by name but clarified that no arrests of foreign nationals had been made in connection with any recent incident.

The denial follows widespread social media posts alleging that five Bangladeshi nationals were detained by the Special Task Force. Earlier, Dhaka Metropolitan Police had claimed that Osman Hadi’s killers fled to India and that Meghalaya Police had arrested two people for assisting them. However, both Meghalaya Police and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) rejected those claims, saying there was no evidence of any such arrests or cross-border movement.

Dhaka police later said their statements were based on information from arrested suspects and sources near the border, but Indian authorities have maintained that the reports lack factual basis.

At the International Crimes Tribunal–2 in Dhaka on Monday, investigating officer Ruhul Amin testified that a doctor was pressured to prepare a false autopsy report following the police shooting of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayeed, described as the first martyr of the July uprising. The statement came during the third day of his deposition in the ongoing trial before a three-member bench led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury.

Ruhul Amin said Sarowat Hossain Chandan, president of the Rangpur unit of the Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad, opposed the protesters during the uprising and pressured the doctor to falsify the report. He testified as the 25th witness in the crimes against humanity case against 30 accused, including former vice-chancellor Hasibur Rashid. Six accused, including a former proctor and several police and student leaders, were produced in court, while others remain absconding.

As the testimony was not completed, the tribunal scheduled the next hearing for January 6.

Nine people, including five children, were killed in a mass stabbing in Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, police confirmed on Sunday. The attack occurred overnight when a man used a sharp weapon to kill multiple people in his home and nearby area. Among the dead were four of the suspect’s own children. Another child and one adult were seriously injured and are receiving hospital treatment. The suspect, who was wounded and detained, reportedly attempted to attack police officers before being shot in the leg.

Local media reported that the suspect had argued with his wife over the phone before the attack, and neighbors suggested he might have been suffering from mental health issues. Police have not released his identity but said he remains under hospital supervision. Suriname’s President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling it an unimaginably difficult time and offering strength and comfort to the bereaved families.

Authorities stated that further details about the circumstances of the incident will be released later as investigations continue.

A Dhaka court has granted a five-day remand for Major Md. Sadequl Haque and his wife Sumaiya Tahmid Zafrin in two separate cases filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The cases were lodged at Vatara and Gulshan police stations over alleged activities linked to guerrilla training of Awami League members. The order was issued on Monday by Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Hasan Shahadat, confirmed by state prosecutor Muhammad Shamsuddoha Suman.

Investigators had sought seven-day remands for both accused. Major Sadequl was shown arrested on December 15 in the Vatara case, while Zafrin’s remand request was filed on December 21 in the Gulshan case. Both were produced before the court during the hearing. The cases accuse them of involvement in secret meetings and anti-government demonstrations.

According to the case files, the alleged incidents involved banned organizations and gatherings that chanted anti-state slogans and planned activities deemed to threaten public security. Police filed the cases in July and April following these incidents.

Social media personality and Ten Minute School founder Ayman Sadiq came under heavy criticism on Monday after posting on Facebook about justice for Osman Hadi, who was killed earlier in December. In his post, Sadiq wrote that Hadi had always sought justice and that others should show courage to continue that pursuit. He questioned how long it would take to achieve justice, marking ten days since Hadi’s death.

The post sparked strong reactions from netizens, with many criticizing Sadiq for speaking out late and for not mentioning Hadi’s name directly in his message. Users also mocked him through comments and memes shared across Facebook. The controversy unfolded as protests demanding justice for Hadi continued at Shahbagh under the banner of Inquilab Mancha.

Osman Hadi was shot on December 12 in Dhaka’s Paltan area while returning from Friday prayers and died on December 18 in Singapore. Police have arrested 11 suspects, six of whom have given confessional statements in court.

A truck driver was killed and four others were injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck on the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar highway at Amjurhat in Patiya late Sunday night. The deceased was identified as Md. Salam, 55, son of Akhtar Mia from Bogura. The injured were Jahidul Islam, 26, Jakir Islam, 30, Sakib Ul Hasan, 17, and Nasrin Sultana, 29, all from Brahmanbaria. The accident occurred when a Hanif Paribahan bus traveling from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka collided with a goods-laden truck coming from the opposite direction.

According to local authorities, Salam was trapped between the two vehicles during the collision. A team from Patiya Fire Service reached the spot at around 2:20 a.m. and rescued him after a prolonged effort. He was taken to Patiya Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. The four injured were given initial treatment at the same facility before being transferred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

Highway police later recovered both vehicles and took them into custody. Legal procedures regarding the accident are underway, officials confirmed.

A police constable named Robiul Islam was killed in a road accident on Monday morning in the Bhanga Pol area of the Dhaka–Khulna highway under Muksudpur upazila of Gopalganj. According to the report, an unidentified bus ran over him and fled the scene. Locals rescued Robiul and took him to Muksudpur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. He was returning home to Muksudpur on his motorcycle after completing his night duty at Narail Sadar Police Station.

Robiul Islam was the son of Hiru Mia from Nowhata village in Muksudpur upazila. Muksudpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdullah Al Mamun stated that the body would be handed over to the family after completing legal procedures.

The report did not mention whether the bus or its driver had been identified or apprehended following the incident.

Six people, including a two-year-old girl, were killed and three others injured when multiple gunmen opened fire on a crowded boardwalk near a popular beach in Puerto López, a tourist town on Ecuador’s southwestern coast. Police confirmed the incident on Sunday, saying the attackers arrived in a van and on two motorcycles before fleeing the scene.

Local media reported that this was the third deadly attack in Puerto López over the weekend, bringing the total number of deaths to nine. Police have not yet identified or arrested the shooters, but initial investigations suggest the violence may have stemmed from internal disputes among criminal groups.

Ecuador, located between Colombia and Peru—two of the world’s top cocaine exporters—has seen escalating gang violence linked to Mexican and Colombian cartels. Despite President Daniel Noboa’s strict security policies, killings in public areas have become frequent. The Geneva-based Organized Crime Observatory reported a record homicide rate of 52 per 100,000 people by the end of the year.

A group of miscreants attacked a human chain organized by traders in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar on Monday around 11:30 a.m. The traders had gathered to protest extortion in the area. The incident led to repeated chases and counter-chases between the attackers and participants, leaving several traders injured, according to reports.

The traders alleged that expelled Tejgaon Thana Jubo Dal general secretary Abdur Rahman and his followers had been extorting money from businesses in Karwan Bazar for a long time. They organized the human chain to demand an end to the extortion and the arrest of Abdur Rahman. During the peaceful demonstration, the attackers reportedly assaulted the participants.

The report did not specify the number of injured or whether any arrests were made following the attack.

The 8 Armed Police Battalion (APBn) conducted extensive operations across 11 Rohingya camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, over the past six months to maintain law and order. During nearly 200 special raids, 108 individuals were arrested in connection with 52 cases involving weapons, drugs, and other crimes. Authorities recovered a large cache of arms, ammunition, and narcotics, including submachine guns, pistols, one-shooter guns, and 175,068 yaba tablets, along with cash and other contraband.

According to APBn sources, the operations were carried out in camps under several police zones, including Panbazar, Moynarghona, and Hakimpara. Local representatives praised the continuous drives, noting improved security and reduced criminal activity in and around the camps. They emphasized the importance of sustaining such efforts to ensure community safety.

APBn commander Riaz Uddin Ahmed stated that the battalion is operating under a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, illegal arms, and drug trafficking. He pledged to continue coordinated operations with local authorities to prevent criminal networks from re-emerging in the camps.

The US-based organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has announced a reward of 5.5 million taka for information leading to the identification and arrest of those responsible for the killing of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Manch. The announcement was made on Monday in a statement following reports from Dhaka Metropolitan Police that the suspects had fled Bangladesh and taken refuge in India.

According to the SFJ statement, the killers escaped to India after the incident. SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun alleged that the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was involved in the murder, describing it as part of cross-border terrorism extending from Bangladesh to the United States. He also claimed similarities between Hadi’s killing and the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

SFJ said the reward aims to gather credible public information to help law enforcement locate, arrest, and extradite the suspects. The organization further alleged that India’s intelligence agency RAW was involved and called for international accountability for the killing.

A Dhaka-bound Agnibina Express train derailed early Monday morning near Gafargaon Railway Station in Mymensingh after rail plates were reportedly removed from the track. The incident occurred around 5:15 a.m. as the train was approaching the station, causing the engine and two coaches to leave the tracks. Following the derailment, rail communication between Dhaka and Mymensingh was suspended.

Gafargaon Railway Station Master Md. Hanif confirmed the derailment, stating that he had not yet reached the site but received information from the railway security forces that the removal of rail plates led to the incident. He also confirmed that no casualties had been reported so far.

Authorities have not yet provided details on when train services will resume or who might be responsible for the removal of the rail plates.

On Sunday, December 28, protesters blocked the Rajshahi–Dhaka highway at Talaimari intersection in Rajshahi, demanding justice for the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi. The blockade was organized by residents opposing Indian dominance under the banner of Inquilab Mancha as part of a previously announced divisional city blockade program. The demonstration caused long traffic congestion on both sides of the road.

During the blockade, the protesters allowed ambulances and other emergency vehicles to pass, ensuring that essential services remained operational. When asked how long the protest would continue, participants said it would depend on the situation and could last through the night if necessary.

Sharif Osman Hadi, described as a leader of the July uprising, a vocal critic of Indian aggression, and convener of Inquilab Mancha, was shot on December 12 and died on December 18 while under treatment. Protesters alleged that his killing was premeditated and demanded a fair trial and maximum punishment for those responsible.

Meghalaya Police and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) have denied Bangladesh Police’s claim that two suspects in the killing of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Shahid Osman Hadi crossed into India’s Meghalaya state through the Haluaghat border. Senior officials from both agencies told the Hindustan Times on Sunday that the allegations were misleading and lacked evidence. They stated that no suspects had been identified or arrested in the Garo Hills region and that there had been no formal or informal communication with Bangladeshi authorities.

Earlier, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Additional Commissioner S. N. Md. Nazrul Islam said the suspects, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh, fled through Haluaghat after the shooting, assisted by intermediaries. However, Meghalaya Police dismissed this account, saying there was no intelligence or field verification supporting such claims. BSF Inspector General O. P. Upadhyay also rejected the report, saying no evidence existed of any border crossing.

Both agencies said surveillance along the border had been strengthened and intelligence operations intensified to prevent misuse of the frontier by criminal networks.

A 24-year-old student from Tripura, Angel Chakma, was killed in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, after being attacked by a group of youths who allegedly hurled racial slurs and accused him of being Chinese. The incident occurred on December 9 when Angel and his younger brother went shopping. After protesting the insults, Angel was stabbed in the neck and spine, leaving him critically injured. He remained on life support for 14 days before dying. His father is a Border Security Force (BSF) soldier. The case has sparked outrage across India, particularly in the northeastern states.

Police have arrested five suspects, including two minors, while the main accused, Yagya Awasthi, remains at large and is believed to have fled to Nepal. Authorities have announced a reward for information leading to his capture. The suspects face charges of murder and criminal conspiracy.

Student organizations across northeastern India have demanded a national law against hate crimes. Tipra Motha Party leader Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma condemned the attack, calling it a blow to national unity and dignity.