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PTC News Desk: Three people were arrested on Sunday in connection with the brutal killing of a Hindu businessman in Bangladesh’s Shariatpur district, according to local media reports.

The victim, 50-year-old Khokon Chandra Das, was attacked near Keurbhanga Bazar in Damudya, about 100 km south of Dhaka, on Wednesday night. He died from his injuries on Saturday. The newspaper Prothom Alo reported that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested the three accused from Kishoreganj district on Sunday morning. The arrested men were identified as Sohag Khan (27), Rabbi Molya (21), and Palash Sardar (25).

RAB official Superintendent of Police Mir Monir Hossain said the accused were being taken from Kishoreganj to the Madaripur camp, which is close to Shariatpur.

Das owned a medicine shop and also ran a mobile banking business. Media reports said he was travelling in an autorickshaw when the attackers stopped the vehicle, beat him, attacked him with sharp weapons, poured petrol on him, and set him on fire.

Trying to save his life, Das jumped into a nearby pond as local people raised an alarm. The attackers then fled. Locals rescued him and took him to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital, from where he was sent to Dhaka because of his serious condition.

Doctors in Dhaka said Das had many injuries, including a deep wound in his abdomen and burn injuries on his face, head, and hands.

Shariatpur Superintendent of Police Rawnak Jahan said the victim had named his attackers before he died.

According to Kajol Debnath, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, Das was the fifth Hindu community member to die since December. He said extremist groups in Bangladesh are trying to scare religious minorities.