7 detained over death of N'ganj factory worker

A factory worker was killed allegedly after compressed air was pumped into his rectum by co-workers in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj yesterday.

The victim -- Azharul Islam Sumon, 35 -- was a worker of Aziz Packaging Factory.

Police have detained seven people in connection with the incident.

Akter Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Araihazar Police Station, said when family members informed them about Sumon's death, a police team was sent to his home at noon to recover the body. Four workers were then detained from the factory for interrogation. After primary interrogation, police detained three others alleged to be involved in the incident.

Quoting the detainees, the OC said that the workers used to “clean themselves” using the air compressor every night after work. On Saturday night, while they were doing the same, someone used the machine to pump compressed air into Sumon's rectum.

The incident was being investigated, he added. 

Sumon's sister Maria Sultana Lipi said Sumon joined the packaging factory only a month and half ago. He used to leave home at 3:00pm and come back at 11:00pm. After he left for work on Saturday, they waited until 12:45 midnight and he still hadn't returned.

Around 1:15am, some of Sumon's co-workers went to their house and said he collapsed due to vertigo, and that he had been admitted to Al-Rafi Hospital, Lipi said.

When Sumon's family went to the hospital, they were informed by hospital authorities that one person was brought dead and wasn't admitted to the hospital but sent back. After a while, some locals went to Sumon's house with his body but they did not know how he died, she added. 

Lipi claimed her brother lived a simple life and some of his co-workers would often harass him. Sumon had even informed his father about this.

“My brother's stomach and chest were swollen. I think those workers pumped air into his rectum and killed him,” Lipi said adding that the family demands justice.

Doctors of Narayanganj General Hospital, where Sumon's body was sent for autopsy, said excess air was found in Sumon's stomach and they were now waiting for the pathology reports to confirm the cause of death.

Sumon's body was later sent to his home for burial.

Additional Superintendent of Police in Narayanganj Anis Uddin Bahadur said the factory's owner and manager were both on the run.

“Seven of the detained factory workers are being interrogated and a case will be filed in this connection,” he added.