Indian police have arrested Philip Sangma, a Bangladeshi man, for allegedly helping two fugitives enter India illegally after the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi in Dhaka. Hadi, a prominent voice in Bangladesh’s 2024 pro-democracy uprising, was shot by masked attackers on December 12 and later died in Singapore.
West Bengal authorities identified Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain as the prime suspects. They fled to India through the Haluaghat border and were apprehended on March 8. Sangma was captured on Saturday for facilitating their illegal entry and has been remanded to police custody for one week.
Hadi’s death triggered violent backlash across Bangladesh, including arson attacks on media outlets perceived as pro-India and a major cultural center. Tensions between India and Bangladesh escalated after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India following the uprising.
India has denied any involvement in Hadi’s assassination, calling such claims 'false narratives.' However, recent diplomatic gestures suggest easing tensions-Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on its electoral victory in the first post-Hasina parliamentary polls.