A day after police claimed former state minister Monnujan Sufian's nephew was killed by a mob in Khulna's Daulatpur, locals and a family member yesterday said there was no incident of mob violence in the area that day.

Sheikh Arifuzzaman Rupam, 34, was declared dead on arrival at Khulna Medical College Hospital, where the joint forces took him after a mob beat him up on Monday, said Inspector Shahidul Islam of Daulatpur Police Station.

He said the incident took place on Anjuman Masjid Road in Amtala area around 10:30am.

But four residents of the neighbourhood yesterday said the joint forces detained Rupam, and then took him to his home and tortured him. When he fell sick, they took him to the hospital, but it was too late.

They saw several vehicles belonging to the joint forces arrive in their neighbourhood early in the morning and remain there for a while.

They added there was no mob violence in the area that day.

According to law enforcement sources, an anti-narcotics drive was conducted there from daybreak to 10:00am on Monday. Rupam tried to flee, but the locals caught him and were beating him up when joint forces rescued him and took him to the hospital.

Rupam's uncle Farhad Hossain said law enforcers brought Rupam home with his hands tied behind his back and tortured him on the second floor of the house. Between 9:30am and 10:00am, four law enforcers brought Rupam down, put him in a vehicle, and drove away.

Sheikh Afzal, a neighbour, said, "There was no disturbance in our area yesterday morning. Joint forces' vehicles were patrolling since dawn. We thought they were looking for an Awami League leader. There was definitely no mob."

Gaus Gazi, another resident, said, "I went to the mosque for Fajr prayers. I saw several vehicles of law enforcement agencies. I was roaming around out of curiosity when a few law enforcers asked me to leave. I went home. But there was no commotion."

Jharna Begum, a house help who works near Rupam's home, said, "I went there around 6 in the morning. I saw some law enforcers and a few locals going to the mosque. The street was almost empty. When I was returning home around 10:30, I heard a man had been killed."

Rupam was a cattle and goat farmer. He was buried in the family graveyard yesterday.

Police said he was accused in four cases.

On August 24, 2022, the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) arrested him with 18 yaba pills in Daulatpur. On December 7, 2014, he was arrested with 395 yaba pills.

Mizanur Rahman, deputy director of the DNC in Khulna, did not respond to repeated calls made by this correspondent.

Mir Atahar Ali, officer-in-charge of Daulatpur Police Station, said, "We were not informed beforehand about the army, navy, and the narcotics control department's raid. The family has not filed any case over the incident."

He added that Rupam's death certificate from the hospital mentioned "public assault" as the cause of his death.