Teen Nirab Dies After Scissors Attack Sparked by Dispute Over Cooking Rice in Mohammadpur

Nirab (15), a teenager injured by a scissors attack in a dispute over cooking rice on a stove in the capital's Mohammadpur, has died while undergoing treatment. He died on Saturday (31 October) afternoon in the ICU of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Nirab had been injured on 19 October at around 9pm at a tin-shed house in the Gripgali area of Rayerbazar, Mohammadpur, when scissors were driven into his neck. He had been under treatment in hospital for 12 days since then.

Nirab's elder brother, Piyal Hasan, said at the hospital that their home village is Ramnagar in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur district. The family currently lives in a mess arrangement at the tin-shed house in Rayerbazar's Gripgali. Their father, Enayet Munshi, works as a painter, and Nirab had been learning the painting trade alongside him.

Piyal said the two brothers and their father share one room. On 19 October at around 9pm, Nirab was cooking rice on a gas stove when Alamgir, from the neighbouring room, came to cook his own rice.

According to Piyal, although there were four stoves in total, Alamgir did not use the others and instead told Nirab to vacate his stove. An argument followed. At one point Nirab swore at Alamgir, who flew into a rage and beat him. When the elder brother stepped in, he was beaten as well.

Piyal added that Alamgir's brother Shimul and his two nephews, Nazim and Nadim, then came out of their room and joined the beating of Nirab. At one stage, Shimul drove a pair of scissors into Nirab's neck. When their father reached home a little later, he too was beaten.

Nirab was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. When his condition deteriorated, he was moved to the ICU of a hospital in Shyamoli. From there, he was readmitted to Dhaka Medical's ICU on 22 October. He died there on Saturday afternoon while still under treatment.

Sub-Inspector (SI) Jahidul Islam of Mohammadpur Police Station said the fight broke out on the night of 19 October over cooking rice, and Nirab was injured by scissors to the neck. He died at Dhaka Medical while undergoing treatment.

The SI said that after the incident, the father, Enayet Munshi, filed an attempted murder case at the police station naming four accused. Following Nirab's death, that case will now be converted into a murder case. One accused, Alamgir, is already under arrest in connection with the incident.