By Sumi Khan

Dhaka, Jun 4 (IANS): A Guinness World record-holding cyclist was stabbed to death for protesting harassment of a female friend in Bangladesh's Bogura, police said on Saturday.

"We have identified the main accused and are making efforts to arrest him," Sazzadul Selim Reza, the officer in charge of of the Bogura Sadar police station said, adding that the accused Ariful Islam Arif has two murder cases against him at the police station.

The deceased, Md Al Jamiul Boni, 22, achieved a Guinness world record for an official attempt for most users to complete a remote 10km in 24 hours on September 29, 2021. According to Guinness, the attempt was held for virtual runners (total 25,523) in Germany for other participants from different countries, and Boni was part of it.

A fifth semester student of Bogura Polytechnic Institute, Boni died at the Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital after getting stabbed by local goons on Friday for protesting the harassment, police told IANS.

Quoting witnesses, Bonani police outpost Sub-Inspector Sazzadul said: "Boni went to a fair organized in front of the Mohammad Ali Hospital of the town where local youths were teasing his female friend. At the time, an altercation occurred between them."

Two hours later, Boni went to a restaurant near the fair where Arif, along with two-three others, attacked him and stabbed him.

Locals rescued Boni and took to a hospital where he died while undergoing treatment. His body was handed over to his family this afternoon after an autopsy.

His father Anisur filed a case against two youths, Arif, 28, and Sohan, 26, and another three to four unidentified accused, said Selim Reza.