Suspected of stealing betel nuts, teenager tortured being tied to tree

A teenage boy was tortured yesterday after being tied to a tree on suspicion of stealing betel nuts at Dakkhin Harimoni area of Harati Union in Lalmonirhat's Sadar upazila.

A video of the boy's torture went viral on social media Facebook, reports our local correspondent quoting the victim's father.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Locals said Priyanath Roy and his son Robin Chandra Roy in the same village forcefully picked up the teenager from his house, tied him to a tree and beat him up for hours on suspicion of stealing betel nuts.

Later, locals rescued him when he fell ill and sent him to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital.

Mintu Chandra Roy, the father of the victim said his son was innocent.

They inhumanely tortured my son, he said, adding that his son is now undergoing treatment at Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital.

I will lodge a complaint to the police, he told The Daily Star.

Denying the allegation of torture, when reached out Priyanath Roy claimed that the boy was just tied to a tree.

We released him when he assured us that he will never steal betel nuts again, he claimed.

Shah Alam, officer-in-charge of Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station, said legal action will be taken if a written complaint is filed in this connection.