65-year-old Golapi Begum tied to a tree and tortured in Gaibandha over theft allegation, treated in hospital corridor
A 65-year-old woman has allegedly been tied to a tree and tortured in Balaata Gobindapur village of Lakshmipur Union in Gaibandha Sadar Upazila after being accused of theft. The victim's name is Golapi Begum. She is the wife of the late Mojibur Rahman of the same village. Local sources say she is mentally unbalanced.
According to police, hospital and local sources, the theft allegation was raised against Golapi Begum last Monday (2 November). Her hands and feet were then tied with rope and she was beaten. What exactly she was accused of stealing could not be confirmed. The allegation has been raised against her neighbour Sada Mia (35), son of the late Darog Ali of the same area.
The incident became widely known after a video of it spread on Facebook on Thursday (5 November). In the 14-second video circulating on Facebook, the woman can be seen being beaten while tied to a tree, and she can be seen and heard screaming.
The injured Golapi Begum is now undergoing treatment at Gaibandha General Hospital. Because of a shortage of beds, she is being treated on extra bed number 22 in the hospital corridor. The information was confirmed on Thursday night (5 November) from Gaibandha General Hospital and Sadar police station sources.
The hospital's senior staff nurse Swapna Rani said by mobile phone on Thursday night that the woman has eaten and is currently doing well. However, Gaibandha General Hospital's Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Asif Rahman did not receive the phone despite repeated calls to ask about the matter.
Gaibandha Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazmul Huda said a complaint has been received over the incident of a mentally unbalanced woman being tied to a tree and tortured. He said the victim is admitted to hospital.
