The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested two individuals allegedly involved in the bag-snatching incident that led to the death of a government primary school headteacher near the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, while saying two suspects earlier arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were not involved in the case.

The arrestees are Khokon and Rajib Matbar.

DMP Additional Commissioner (DB) Md Shafiqul Islam on Wednesday said they were arrested in separate drives and the motorcycle allegedly used in the incident, the victim’s bag and mobile phone, and other evidence were recovered from them.

Briefing reporters at the DMP Media Centre, he claimed that the two individuals previously arrested and the motorcycle recovered by the RAB in connection with the case were not related to this incident.

Ranjina Parvin, headteacher of Bagbari Balika Government Primary School in Bogura, died on August 29 after falling from a rickshaw during an attempted bag snatching near the South Plaza of the Parliament Complex.

Police said she came to Dhaka from Bogura for medical treatment. Around 6:30am, two individuals on a motorbike allegedly tried to snatch her bag while she was travelling by rickshaw, causing her to fall and suffer a severe head injury.

She was later declared dead at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital.

Her husband Mohammad Abdul Matin filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station against unidentified persons.

Shafiqul said teams from the Tejgaon division and DB collected information from the scene and examined CCTV footage following the incident. After analysing intelligence and identifying the suspects, they conducted drives in Dhaka, Savar and other areas.

Khokon was first arrested from Monipur Westpara in Mirpur. During interrogation, he reportedly said he was riding pillion on the motorcycle and snatched Ranjina’s bag.

Based on his information, the bag was recovered from the Borobagh area of Mirpur. It contained her clothes, part of a ticket, a spectacle case and some medicines. Her mobile phone was later recovered from the Mirpur-1 area.

Rajib was subsequently arrested from the Birulia area of Savar, on the outskirts of the capital.

The DB said he was riding the motorcycle during the incident. Based on information provided by him, the motorcycle was recovered from the Diabari area in the capital.

The DB also recovered 622 Yaba tablets from Rajib’s possession.

According to the DB, Rajib faces eight cases filed on various charges, while Khokon is accused in three drug cases.

Shafiqul said the DB was investigating whether the two were involved only in this incident or were part of a regular snatching group, and whether they were linked to any other incidents in Dhaka.

Regarding the two people earlier arrested by RAB, he said they belonged to a different group and lived in Tejturipara, while the newly arrested suspects lived in West Monipur.

The DB chief said the earlier arrestees had been interrogated, and analysis of information and evidence confirmed that they were not involved in Ranjina’s death.

He said arresting and interrogating suspects is part of an investigation and those found not to be involved are subsequently excluded from the case, while they may remain in custody subject to legal proceedings in other cases.

Explaining the discrepancy over the motorcycle, Shafiqul said the colour of the motorcycle recovered by RAB was different from that of the motorcycle seen in CCTV footage.

The newly arrested suspects confessed that the motorcycle recovered by DB was used in the incident, he said, adding that it belonged to Rajib and was not rented.

The DB also recovered Khokon’s shirt, wristwatch and cap allegedly worn during the incident.

Shafiqul said the victim’s bag, mobile phone, clothes, medicines and ticket were among the important evidence recovered and were being matched with CCTV footage.

He said Ranjina’s husband had seen the snatcher briefly during the incident and later recalled him after his wife’s death. The husband identified the person who was riding pillion, according to the DB official.