4 cops closed over death of tea vendor

Four policemen were closed in connection with the burning of a tea vendor to death in Mirpur of Dhaka last night.

“Four policemen have been closed. An investigation is going on against them. Action will be taken against them as per the report,” Kayumuzzaman Khan, deputy commission (Mirpur division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), told The Daily Star.

Tea vendor Babul Matabbar suffered severe burns as he fell on a kerosene stove after allegedly being pushed by a police source accompanied by some cops who were out to pick him up from his stall around 9:30pm.

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The four are: Sub-Inspector Mominur Rahman, SI Niazuddin Mollah, Assistant Sub-Inspector Jogendranath and constable Jashimuddin of Shah Ali Police Station in Dhaka.

Police formed two committees – one led by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Mirpur division) Masud Ahmed and the other by Deputy Commissioner (Discipline) of DMP Tutul Chakrabarty – to investigate the incident.  

The policemen, who were on duty in the area at the time of the incident, were closed in the interest of fair investigations, Maruf Hossain Sorder, deputy commissioner (media) DMP, told reporters at his office.

The incident took place last night when a police source named Delowar, allegedly accompanied some policeman, paid a visit to Babul’s tea shop.

Babul’s wife Lucky Begum, who claimed to be on the spot at the time, said they demanded money. When he refused to pay, a scuffle followed which ended with Babul being pushed on to the stove.

He was immediately rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s burn unit where he died around 1:30pm today.