A farmer succumbed to his injuries after being brutally beaten as he confronted a group of miscreants attempting to steal watermelons from his field in Barishal's Bakerganj upazila.
Kuddus Hawlader, 45, son of Abdur Razzak Hawlader, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal early on Friday.
The attack took place the previous afternoon in the Diyar Char area of Ranirhat.
According to his cousin, retired senior warrant officer Mojibur Rahman, Kuddus had cultivated watermelons on leased land near his home. On Thursday, a group of local troublemakers had been stealing watermelons from his field for some time and had even demanded extortion money. When Kuddus confronted them on Thursday at around 2:30 PM, the attackers, identified as Miraz, Anwar, Hasnain, Sarwar Sani, Motiur Rahman, Faisal, and several others, began assaulting him with wooden sticks from a nearby rain tree.
Charamaddi Police Outpost in-charge Enamul Haque Shahid confirmed that Kuddus was critically injured in the attack.
Local residents rescued him and brought him to the police outpost. Realizing the severity of his condition, officers immediately transferred him to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, where he passed away around 3:30 AM.
The police official stated that no formal complaint had been received yet, but an investigation was underway. One suspect had been detained for questioning in connection with the incident.
Kuddus’s family members have demanded justice for the murder.
The body has been sent for an autopsy, according to hospital ward master Abul Kalam.
MN/SA
