Freedom fighter ‘beaten to death’ by railway police

Eight police officers have been suspended over the incident and a probe committee has been formed. The family of the deceased said Lance Corporal (retd) Abdul Bari, a freedom fighter, was hit by a policeman in presence of GRP Station Officer-in-Charge Goura Chandra Mojumder at the station. His son Mazharul Islam, a Rajshahi University student, was detained at the station for not having a ticket. Abdul Bari went to the station to get his son released. An argument ensued with the policemen there, whereupon the policemen beat him in public on the platform. Bari was admitted to Jamalpur General Hospital with injuries and then transferred to Mymensingh Combined Military Hospital where he died around 2:45pm. OC Goura Chandra and seven other policemen were suspended over the incident, Jamalpur Deputy Commissioner Shahabuiddin Khan said. A five-member committee has also been formed to look into the incident, which will submit a report in three days, he added. Former MP and Jamalpur district commander of the Muktijoddha Sangsad (freedom fighters council) Shafiqul Islam said Abdul Bari had been beaten up inhumanely in public by policemen. He said the council would launch a campaign for the punishment those responsible after the victim’s body is returned from Mymensingh. Earlier, OC Goura Chandra told the Dhaka Tribune the freedom fighter’s son was detained for not having a ticket and then released. “But he was still standing at the platform and swearing at police, at which point some pushing took place and he fell to the ground and was injured,” he said.