Man beaten to death in Sitakunda

A man known for confronting petty criminals in the local bazar was beaten to death by unidentified assailants in the Mirerhat area of Sitakunda upazila in Chattogram.

Belal Hossain, aged around 35, was found lying in a pool of blood with severe head injuries, said locals.

They said Belal, who was intellectually disabled, had long been targeted by miscreants whom he tried to deter from committing crimes in the market.

Police and locals said Belal was a familiar face in the bazar. He often acted as an "informal night guard", patrolling with the official watchman and shouting to ward off burglars and robbers -- a common problem in the area, they added.

The murder is believed to have occurred late Saturday night or in the early hours of yesterday, said Mujibur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Model Police Station.

Locals discovered his body wrapped in a blanket on the cemented floor on the southern side of the market. Police said he had been struck with wooden logs while asleep, leading to fatal head injuries.

"Belal knew everyone here. He stayed in the bazar at night and helped keep watch," a local resident said, requesting anonymity. "We believe he was deliberately killed because he tried to stop the criminals."

OC Mujibur Rahman said, "Initially, we suspect Belal was murdered while he was asleep. The body was sent for autopsy."

Filing of a case was underway, he said, adding that efforts were on to identify and arrest the killers.