A notorious serial killer who made a profession of murdering easy-bike drivers to snatch their battery-powered auto-rickshaws has been apprehended by the Detective Branch (DB) of police in Cumilla. The suspect, 25-year-old Abdul Wadud Manik, was arrested after detectives successfully unravelled two recent homicide cases across Nangalkot and Monohargonj upazilas.
Additional Superintendent of Police Lutfur Rahman disclosed the chilling details during a press briefing held at the auditorium of the Cumilla District Superintendent of Police on Tuesday, 15 September. Manik, a resident of Ganipur village under Natherpetua Union in Monohargonj upazila, is the son of Aminul Islam, alias Dulal.
The investigation gained momentum following the discovery of a partially decomposed body in the Atiabari area of Nangalkot upazila on 12 August. The deceased was later identified as 18-year-old auto-rickshaw driver Md Mehedi. A joint investigation team from Nangalkot Police Station and the District Detective Branch deployed modern information technology to track down suspects, eventually arresting Manik along with his accomplices Shahed, Fahim, and Selim. During interrogation, the perpetrators confessed to murdering Mehedi and stealing his vehicle, leading Manik to give a formal confessional statement in court under Section 164.
Before the dust could settle on Mehedi’s murder, a 15-year-old easy-bike driver named Md Arman Hossain went missing from Nangalkot on 24 August. Detectives initiated a fresh probe tracking Arman’s mobile phone data, which eventually led to the recovery of a dismantled auto-rickshaw. Three individuals—Md Jobayer Hossain Sujon, Nur Alam, and Md Gias Uddin—were picked up for questioning, admitting to Arman’s abduction and murder.
Subsequent interrogation of Manik revealed his direct involvement in Arman’s killing as well. Acting on directions provided by Manik himself, officers recovered Arman’s body from a pond in the Binayghar area of Monohargonj upazila.
Police officers confirmed that snatching battery-powered auto-rickshaws to sell their parts was the sole motive behind both horrific crimes. Manik’s violent record extends further back; on 2 September 2024, he strangled a 17-year-old driver named Shahjahan, alias Simon, to steal his vehicle. The murder case involving Simon remains under active trial before the court as legal proceedings against Manik and his network move forward.
