3 held for torturing boy in Mymensingh town

Police arrested three people early yesterday on charge of torturing a 12-year boy in the town's Patgudam area on Wednesday noon.

The arrestees are Rafiqul Islam, 25, Azizul Islam, 35, and Abdul Aziz, 45.

Police arrested them from different areas of the town, said Sub-Inspector Anisur Rahman, also investigation officer of the case. But the prime suspect in the case, Shafir Uddin Suru, an AL leader, is still at large. 

The accused were identified from video footage, said the IO.

There was public outrage after video footage of the incident was posted on social media.

The arrestees were produced before a Mymensingh court that sent them to jail, police said.

Victim's mother Parvin Akhtar lodged a case with Kotwali Police Station on Thursday night, accusing 4/5 unidentified people.

Shafir Uddin Suru, vice-president of Mymensingh municipality's ward no-18 unit of AL, and his men intercepted 12-year-old Saddam Hossain in Patgudam area while the boy was returning home from his aunt's house in Netrakona around 2:00pm on Wednesday, said Parvin Akhter.

They accused the boy of stealing the mobile phone of a woman at Krishtapur and beat him up, said Parvin, who collects scraps in the area.

"I am not a thief. I repeatedly requested them not to beat me, but they did not listen to me," Saddam told reporters yesterday at his home.

Police have launched drives to arrest the other accused, including the prime suspect, said Md Kamrul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station.