Brutality beyond description

The nine-year-old boy was not spared their brutality even after being beaten severely with wooden stick.

Three drug addicts then burnt his fingers with a lighter, bringing charge of stealing Tk 8000 against him, said family members.

The victim is Raju, son of Motaleb Hossain of Sonargon in Rajapur upazila, and a Class IV student at Sonargon Primary School.

He is now undergoing treatment at Rajapur Health Complex, said Md Harun-ur Rahid, officer-in-charge of Rajapur Police Station.

Tk 8000 was lost from the house of Raju's neighbour Zakir Hawlader on Sunday morning, said Motaleb.

As the news spread, drug addicts Sajib, Syedul and Liton caught Raju from a local shop on charge of stealing the money and took him to an old abandoned house where they hung him from a wooden pole, said Motaleb.

“At first they covered my eyes with a piece of cloth; then hung me from a wooden pole. Afterwards, they tied my legs with the pole and started beating me with sticks,” said Raju. 

The brutality did not end there. The trio later burnt his fingers with a lighter, he said.

“They repeatedly asked me to return the money, which I did not steal,” said Raju.

The torture marks were seen on the whole body of the boy while the lower part is severely affected, said Dr Abul Khayer Rasel of the health complex.

“I don't know why the three youths tortured the boy as I did not ask them to find out the thief,” said Zakir Hossain, who lost the money.

Police are raiding different areas to arrest the accused, said the OC.