Two Killed in Mob Beating in Rangpur After Mosque Announcement Over Alleged Rickshaw Theft
Two men have been killed in Rangpur's Gangachara upazila in a mob beating over allegations of stealing a battery-run auto-rickshaw.
The incident took place early on Sunday in the Pukur Khuri Dola Canal area of Bagpur Bagerhat village under Barbil Union of the upazila. Several news outlets have reported the same incident — including accounts of alleged thieves being caught after an announcement over a mosque loudspeaker and then beaten by a mob.
The deceased are Ejarul alias Rezaul Kana, 45, of Kochua Sardarpara area, and Sadikul Islam, 25, a resident of Kolkond Union.
According to police and local eyewitnesses, in the early morning local resident Sohel Mia noticed an auto-rickshaw being taken from his homestead and started shouting.
Immediately, when the matter was announced from a nearby mosque loudspeaker saying 'thief, thief', residents including worshippers coming for Fajr prayers gathered and chased the accused.
At one stage an attempt was made to flee leaving the auto-rickshaw on the road. The two were caught from a paddy field in Uttar Panapukur area, about half a kilometre west of Sohel Mia's house.
When the crowd present there beat them indiscriminately, both died on the spot.
Gangachara Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdus Sabur said the initial truth of the deaths of two people in beating by locals centring on a theft incident has been confirmed.
He said the bodies of the deceased have been recovered and brought to the police station. Legal action will be taken after autopsy and after speaking with the complainants.
This incident of taking the law into one's own hands has created sensation in the area. Whatever the allegation, killing suspects by beating instead of handing them to police is considered a serious crime.
Now a police investigation will examine the full account of the incident, who took part in the beating, and whether there was any other reason behind it.
Police said the next steps in this incident will be taken after the autopsy and legal process.
