Man 'beaten to death' by policemen

Four policemen including two sub-inspectors have been suspended in Joypurhat after they allegedly beat up a man to death during a raid in Kalai upazila yesterday.

The suspended police officials are sub-inspectors Rafiqul Islam and Md Asaduzzaman and constables Rashedul Islam and Selim Reza of Kalai Police Station.

Sazzad Hossain, assistant superintendent of Joypurhat police, has confirmed their suspensions.

The dead was identified as Saidur Rahman, 38, son of Kazem Ali of Harunza village.

Nuruzzaman Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Kalai Police Station, said a team of law enforcers raided Harunza village around 5:30am yesterday to arrest Md Shapla Hossain, an accused in a case filed under Women and Children Repression Prevention Act by one Shyamoli Akhter of the same village.

Witness Ruma Khatun alleged that the police were in an angry mood during the raid and were assaulting villagers irrespective of their gender. At one stage, Saidur Rahman stepped forward and protested their actions.

The policemen locked in an altercation with Saidur and later started beating him up in front of the villagers. As he collapsed on the ground unconscious, the policemen took him away, alleged Nadira Begum, Saidur's wife.

The police took him to Kalai Upazila Health Complex where he died of his injuries around 8:30am. 

As the news of his death spread, villagers gathered at the health complex and besieged the hospital in protest. During the siege, some policemen got stranded inside the complex. At least seven people were injured as additional forces used rubber bullets and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the protesters.

Police later sent Saidur's body to Joypurhat Modern Hospital for autopsy.

Ali Akbar, chairman of Ahmedabad Union Parishad, held the law enforcers responsible for Saidur's death and demanded exemplary punishment of the policemen involved.

High officials of Joypurhat police and administration visited the village and assured the villagers of necessary action against the offenders, said Belayet Hossain, additional SP of Joypurhat.