Allegations have surfaced that a man described as mentally disabled was tied to a tree and tortured on suspicion of theft in Narail. The victim, 32, was first admitted to Narail District Hospital but, as his condition worsened, was transferred to Khulna Medical College Hospital. On Monday (29 June), the victim’s elder brother filed a complaint (FIR) at Narail Sadar police station naming five people and several unidentified others.
According to the FIR, the victim, who is mentally disabled, left home at around 9 a.m. on 24 June. When he did not return that night, family members searched for him in various places. The next morning, on receiving word, they found him injured at the district hospital.
The FIR alleges that several people in the Gobra Malopara area of Sadar upazila tied the victim to a tree in front of a house on suspicion of theft and beat him through the night. It further alleges that at one point one of them tried to strangle him with a gamchha while others struck him in various parts of his body with an iron rod, causing serious injuries and swelling.
On the morning of 25 June, when the matter came to light, police rescued him and admitted him to the district hospital.
The victim’s elder brother said that, being mentally disabled, the man often left home and wandered to various places, and that on the day in question he left in the morning and did not return. The accused, he said, had given him a mob beating on suspicion of theft. As his condition deteriorated, the man was moved to Khulna Medical College Hospital around noon on Monday. He demanded the swift arrest and trial of those involved.
The FIR names five people from Gobra Malopara — Prasenjit Biswas, Sourav Biswas, Apurba Biswas, Akash Biswas and Hridoy Biswas.
The accused have been absconding since the incident, so their accounts could not be obtained. However, the mother of one of the accused, Prasenjit, said the man had been tugging at the chain near their van; when she called out “thief, thief,” local people rushed over. She said she did not know who beat him, and that her son took him to hospital and had him admitted.
Narail Sadar Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ajay Kumar Kundu said a written complaint had been received, and that the matter would be investigated and legal action taken.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report