A 14-year old schoolboy was brutally beaten, allegedly by some local influential people, in Sundarganj upazila, Gaibandha on Friday, on suspicion of theft.
The victim’s brother filed a case against 14 people on Sunday night. Police have already detained two of them: Aizal Mia and Rana Mia of Dhumaitari village.
Golam Kibria, chairman of Dohbond union in Sundarganj, said: “One of Nazrul Islam Noju’s cows was stolen on Friday and locals apprehended the child with the cow at 11pm from Belka hat of the upazila.
“The matter was solved through local shalish boithak (meeting) and the boy was handed over to his family,” he added.
However, the victim’s brother claimed that on Friday a few of their neighbours falsely accused his brother of stealing a cow. Among them Fazlu, Iajol and Nazmul came to their house and took his brother to Fazlu’s house. They tortured him throughout the night.
They also demanded Tk10,000 from the family. The family could only give Tk3,000, but they did not let him go. Instead, they took him to Afsar Ali’s house on Saturday morning.
There they hanged him upside down and brutally abused him in front of hundreds of people. The child lost consciousness at one point.
The miscreants threatened the family so they kept quiet about the incident. But when a video of the torture went viral the family informed police and local journalists.
Abdullah Zaman, Sundarganj police station OC said, Nazrul Islam Noju owed money to his niece’s husband Abdur Rahim Mia. To repay the money Noju gave away one of his cows to Rahim.
After that the child was falsely accused of stealing the cow and beaten by the locals. Abdullah Zaman said the victim has no connection with Abdur Rahim.
The teenager was admitted to Sundarganj Upazila Health Complex for treatment.
