Police have arrested two persons, including a Union Parishad (UP) member, for brutally torturing a teenager in front of his mother in Kurigram's Bhurungamari upazila.
The arrested were identified as UP member Raju Ahmed of ward no 3 under Boldia union of the upazila and a local influential person Zafar Ali.
The victim Habibur Rahman, 15, was bound to a tree and was tortured by some people on Monday morning. The attackers accused him of stealing a solar panel and its battery from a mosque in Monglarkuti village of the upazila.
Photos and videos of the incident went viral on social media, leading to the arrest of the duo on Monday night, confirmed Kochakata police station OC Mamun Ur Rashid.
OC Mamun said the victim's father had filed a case against six people, including the UP member, and police were trying to arrest the other people involved.
According to locals and police, the solar panel and its battery were stolen about 15 to16 days ago from the mosque.
Alleging that the teenager had stolen the equipment, 10 to 12 villagers called him out of his home on Monday. They tortured him by tying him to a tree near the house of Zafar Ali, said the locals.
The victim's mother Maleka Begum said her son was beaten more violently when she came to rescue him and told the attackers to stop.
When the boy was let go, he was initially taken home and was later taken to Bhurungamari Upazila Health Complex for better treatment.
Boldia union Chairman Mokhlesur Rahman said he had learnt that the teenage boy was tortured by a few local residents and the UP member.
Bhurungamari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Firujul Islam couldn not be reached for comment over phone to know if a suspension from office would be sought for the accused UP member.
