Youth dies by suicide in police custody

A youth has reportedly died by suicide at a police station in Jhalakathi soon after he was detained and brought to police custody.

The deceased, Rajesh Roy (22), son of Amal Roy, hailed from Purba Chadkathi village of Jhalakathi Sadar upazila, reports our Pirojpur correspondent quoting Mohammad Afruzul Haque Tutul, superintendent of police (SP) in Jhalakathi.

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Victim's father Amal claimed to journalists that his son was a drug addict. He said that he tried very hard to make his son return from drug addiction and abuse but failed.

Last afternoon (September 13, 2022), the victim got involved in an altercation with his father after the man refused to give his son any money to buy drugs, police said quoting locals.

Police said Rajesh tried to stab his father with a sharp weapon and an iron rod after his father refused to give him money.

Locals witnessing the incident immediately called 999 and police rushed to spot and detained Rajesh and took him to Jhalakati Sadar police station.

He was alone in police custody.

After a while, a constable caught Rajesh in the act of committing suicide using his lungi by hanging himself with the ceiling fan, SP Tutul said.

He was immediately rescued and was taken to Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital where the on-duty doctor declared him dead, added the SP.

"The victim might have committed suicide as his father was going to file a case against him", the SP said, adding that an unnatural death case will be filed in this connection.