Youth beaten to death on suspicion of theft at BTCL office
Collected Photo
A 25-year-old unidentified youth was allegedly beaten to death by on duty Ansar members at the Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, on suspicion of theft. The incident took place at around 7:30 am Tuesday (September 8).
The youth was taken to Dhaka Medical College (DMCH) Hospital in an unconscious condition. Doctors declared him dead at around 3:30 pm. The deceased was wearing a black vest and black trousers.
Mohammad Saiful Islam, an office assistant at Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL), said the youth entered the office premises by climbing over the wall in the morning. Ansar members then detained him, tied him up and beat him. At one point, he became unconscious. He was then taken to the hospital in a CNG powered auto rickshaw. No Ansar member accompanied him.
A man named Saikat Ali who accompanied the youth to the hospital identified himself as a former Ansar platoon commander (PC) and said, “I came to the BTCL office about a month ago for another matter. On Tuesday morning, the youth and two or three others entered the office premises by climbing over the wall with the intention of stealing. The Ansar members on duty noticed the matter and chased them. At that time, the youth hit an Ansar member with a stick. While the others managed to flee, he was detained.”
Saikat Ali further said, “After being detained, the youth was taken to the camp, tied up and beaten. At one point, he became unconscious and I was asked to take him to the hospital. I was not involved in the beating. However, thefts occur regularly at that office.”
Mohammad Habibur Rahman, inspector and in charge of the police camp at DMCH Hospital, said the body has been kept in the hospital morgue for an autopsy. There are marks of injuries on the youth’s body. The Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station has been informed about the incident.
Officer in Charge (OC) of Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman said police visited the scene. Police are trying to verify the incident by analyzing CCTV footage.
Nazmus Sakib, assistant director and public relations officer of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force, told Agamir Somoy that they are working on the allegation. An official statement will be issued regarding the incident.
