Youth commits suicide over 'false' accusation, torture

A youth on Monday night committed suicide over false accusation in a rural arbitration two days ago. Police recovered the body from his house and sent it to Patuakhali General Hospital morgue. They also held a man over the matter yesterday.

The victim was identified as Ripon Sarder, 24, a farmer of Char Lakmi under Rangabali upazila of the district.

Family members said a cow owned by one Abdul Bareq Mridha of Nalua village in Char Montaj union was stolen on Sunday night. Abdus Salam Pada, newly elected member of the union parishad (UP), also vice-president of Char Montaj union unit of Awami League (AL), arranged an arbitration at Char Bestin AL office.

Salam's  men brought Ripon to the arbitration meeting place from his house. At about 9:00pm, three men, Abdus Salam, Abdul Jabbar and Shahidul Islam tortured Ripon in the presence of over a hundred people.

The arbitrators fined Ripon Tk 50,000 for alleged involvement in stealing the cow, locals said. They also said he would remain tied up until the fine was paid.

Shahanara Begum, mother of Ripon, freed her son after paying Tk 30,000 the next morning.

Ripon committed suicide by hanging from a tree on Monday night.

"My son committed suicide as he couldn't bear such dishonour," Shahanara Begum said. "I want justice as my son was innocent," she said.

Abdus Salam Pada said he did not torture Ripon. "I arranged the arbitration meeting and fined Ripon as per instruction from the newly-elected UP Chairman Hanif Mia," he said.

Contacted, UP chairman Hanif Mia, also secretary of the union unit of AL, said, "I didn't ask anybody to arrange arbitration meeting over the matter. I asked them to hand Ripon over to police."

Shamsul Arefin, officer-in-charge of Rangabali Police Station, said police have arrested one Abdul Jabbar for allegedly torturing Ripon.