‘Custodial death’ in Lalmonirhat: Rights body demand justice

Expressing deep concern over the death of a young man allegedly under police custody in Lalmonirhat, Manbadhiker Songskriti Foundation (MSF), a human rights organisation, demanded legal steps against those responsible for the death after fair investigation.

"Unleashing torture on a man in police custody that led to his death is unacceptable. It is the duty of police to ensure security to people under their custody. MSF is demanding legal steps against those involved in the killing after fair probe," said a press release of MSF issued on Saturday.

Earlier, a 25-year-old RMG worker in Lalmonirhat, identified as Robiul Islam Khan, died allegedly in police custody on Thursday night.

Agitated locals blocked Lalmonirhat-Rangpur Highway halting traffic on the busy high-speed corridor for few hours in the early hours of Friday, after the family of the deceased accused the police of torture.

Robiul and another man were arrested by police on charges of gambling at a fair in Mahendranagar Bangla Bazar area on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh, according to his family members.

Robiul had an altercation with some cops while being dragged into a police van as he insisted that he was innocent, they claimed.

"He was badly beaten up by the cops for refusing to enter the police van. He had sustained injuries, which eventually led to his death," said a family member of the deceased.

As the news of the death spread, the agitated locals blocked Lalmonirhat-Rangpur highway in the early hours of Friday and demanded the punishment of a sub-inspector of Sadar police station.

The locals also vandalised a police van when some cops reached the spot to pacify the crowd, officials said. The mob left the place only after the cops assured them of a proper probe into the death.