A death shrouded in mystery
A 35-year-old hawker died yesterday afternoon, six days after he was released from jail on bail. His family members said he died because he was tortured while in custody of Muktagacha police.
Police said the allegation was false.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Altaf Hossain's family members said he was picked up from Jaamgara village in Muktagacha on February 28.
A Mymensingh court sent him to jail on March 1. He was released on bail on March 7.
His 12-year-old son Arif Hossain said his father used to live in Bhaluka and came home every few days. He was home on February 28.
"I came home from my madrasa around 2:00pm and heard from neighbours that police chased my father, caught him and then beat him up with tree branches," said Arif, a student at Jaamgara Hefzul Quran Hafezia Madrasa.
"Later, police demanded Tk 85,000 from us. Since we didn't have the money, they took my father to Muktagacha Police Station where he was tortured mercilessly."
He was kept at the police station until March 1 when he was sent to jail by a court, said Arif.
After Altaf was released on bail on March 7, he lost his appetite and couldn't sleep, Arif said.
"My father returned home and said he was tortured mercilessly at the police station and due to the severe torture, he could not eat or sleep," alleged Arif.
But the family couldn't afford to take him to a hospital, said Sirajul Islam, brother-in-law of Altaf.
"As his condition deteriorated, we were taking him to Muktagacha Upazila Health Complex but he died on the way," said Sirajul.
The family took the body to Mymensingh Press Club yesterday evening.
"My father was the breadwinner. Who will feed us?" Arif lamented at the press club.
The family members demanded proper investigation into the incident.
Officer-in-charge (Investigation) of Muktagacha Police Station Jahangir Alam said Sub-Inspector Abul Khayer and Assistant Sub-Inspector Hamidur Rahman raided the Jaamgara area and arrested Altaf on charges of defrauding some people in Muktagacha. Altaf also allegedly snatched away phones and Tk 165,000 in cash from them, he added.
Asked whether police demanded Tk 85,000 from his family, the OC said police asked Altaf on the spot to return the money to the people he had robbed.
Refuting the allegations of torture, the officer said the court or the jail authorities wouldn't have accepted him if he was sick or injured and added that the allegation was baseless.
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