Youth Allegedly Tortured for Two Hours and Killed on Theft Suspicion in Patenga, One Arrested

A young man named Mobarak Islam, 26, has allegedly been taken away and beaten to death on suspicion of theft in Patenga, in the city of Chattogram. The incident took place on Thursday afternoon, 12 November, in the Charpara area of Ward 41 in South Patenga.

The deceased, Mobarak Islam, was the eldest son of Abdul Mabud and Amena Begum. Their family once lived in Laldiar Char in South Patenga. After a government eviction, they have lived for the past four years at his maternal grandparents' home in Charpara.

According to eyewitness Shah Alam, a local shopkeeper, Mobarak was taken away on suspicion of theft from in front of the Evergreen Cotton Factory at around 3pm on Thursday. He was then taken to a field and beaten with bamboo and wire.

At one stage he was taken from there to a warehouse, his hands and feet were tied with wire, and he was tortured for two straight hours. Eyewitnesses said that when local people tried to intervene, the accused persons charged at them as well.

Eyewitnesses said that after about two hours of torture, the seriously injured Mobarak was taken to a local pharmacy at around 5pm. A doctor there declared him dead.

The victim's mother, Amena Begum, said her son previously worked at a garment factory and now regularly sat at his father's tea shop. On the day of the incident, Mobarak left home at around noon after eating a banana. She later received the news that her son had been tortured to death.

Mobarak's father, Abdul Mabud, has filed a case with Patenga Model Police Station over the incident. Four people have been named as accused in the case.

Md Parvez Ali, officer-in-charge of Patenga Model Police Station, said police reached the scene after receiving the news. One person, detained by local people, was arrested and taken into police custody. The other three accused remain fugitives. The body has been sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.