Neighbours beat teacher dead over land dispute

A primary school teacher was beaten to death by his neighbours over land dispute in Atghoria upazila of Pabna yesterday morning, said family members of the victim. 

Hosneara Khatun said her husband Ashraf Ali, 47, headmaster of Fulbaria Government Primary School, was mercilessly beaten by their neighbour Afzal Hossain and his cohorts as he tried to prevent Afzal from grabbing his land. 

Ashraf, also the general secretary of Atghoria unit Government Primary Head Teachers’ Association, and Afzal had a long-standing dispute over a piece of 37-acre land. Several cases were also filed over the issue, she added. 

Hosneara filed a murder case with Atghoria Police Station, said Rakibul Islam, officer-in-charge of the police station. 

According to the case statement, Afzal grabbed the land, which Ashraf inherited from his father, and started cultivating. On information, Ashraf went to the spot and tried to prevent Afzal and his men from cultivating on his land. 

Afzal and his men then started beating Ashraf who later died on the spot, the case statement added. The accused managed to flee. 

On information, police went to the spot, rescued the body and sent it to Pabna Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. 

The victim’s son Hossain Pramanik said, “My father was a teacher. He used to teach students to good citizens. And this is the fate he had to meet! I demand exemplary punishment of the culprits.” 

Meanwhile, police detained Afzal’s wife for quizzing, said the OC, adding that they were investigating the case. 

Protesting the killing and demanding justice, agitated locals demonstrated in the area.