Brutally tortured, couple land in Nilphamari hospital

A poor woman and her husband are groaning in pain on the floor of Nilphamari 100-bed Hospital, as they were badly beaten allegedly by relatives of a union parishad (UP) member on Monday evening.

Anwara Begum, 36, and her husband Abed Ali, 42, a day labourer of Monsapara village in Nilphamari Sadar upazila, faced the brutality as the woman protested torture on her son, after 'false allegation' of stealing a bicycle.

Following the allegation by villager Babul Hossen on Friday morning, Motiar Rahman, younger brother of local Kundopukur UP member Asgar Ali, blamed Anwara's son Anwarul Islam, 14, for the theft and cycle owner Babul and his men beat the boy mercilessly, although there was no evidence to support the allegation, locals said.

The seriously injured boy was admitted to hospital where he took treatment for two days.

"The false blame and torture on my son shocked me. When Motiar was going through a road beside my house on Monday evening, I went near him and protested his cruelty on my innocent son," said Anwara Begum, lying on hospital floor on Tuesday.

"At this, Motiar became furious and called his relatives Razzak, Hannan, Alamgir, Anwar and a few others through cellphone call. They forcibly took me to Razzak's house 250 metres away from the spot and beat me mercilessly making me almost unconscious," she said in a chocked voice.

Hearing the matter, the victim's husband Abed Ali rushed to the spot to rescue her but he was also beaten severely.

With serious injuries, both of them were admitted to Nilphamari 100-bed Hospital the same night and they are undergoing treatment there.

The woman has injuries on the chest and other parts of the body and it would take a few more days to be cured, said attending nurse Sharifa Akhtar Sharmin.

Preparation is on to file a case regarding the matter, Shahjahan Pasha, officer in charge of Sadar Police Station, said, adding that he will take action after receiving the victims' written complaint.

Contacted, UP member Asgar Ali said, "The housewife slapped my brother when he was going somewhere. The allegation of beating of the woman by my brother is false."