Youth tied to pole, tortured on theft charge

A Chuadanga court yesterday sent a shop owner to jail in connection with a case for torturing a young man, tying him to a pole, bringing allegation of stealing some grocery items in Alamdanga upazila on Tuesday night.

Ratna Khatun, wife of victim Saddam Hossin, 22, of Thanapara area filed a case with Alamdanga Police Station against Sheikh Amanullah, owner of Sheikh Traders at Hafiz Intersection in Alamdanga municipality yesterday noon.

Earlier on Tuesday night, police arrested Amanullah after a video of the torture spread on social media the same evening.

Officer in Charge (OC) of Alamdanga Police Station Saiful Islam said employees of Amanullah's shop were unloading goods from a truck on Tuesday afternoon.

At that time, Saddam suddenly appeared in the scene and tried to flee, taking packets of noodles and some other items.

Seeing him fleeing, the workers caught him after a chase and handed him over to Amanullah, who tied Saddam to a pole in front of the shop and beat him up with a pipe.

While talking to the journalists Amanullah claimed that he was fed up over the incidents of frequent thefts.

When his workers brought Saddam over, he tied him to a pole and beat him, he said, adding that he wanted to punish the young man as a corrective measure.

Although, some 20 to 30 people were present there, no one came forward to save him.

After watching the video on the social media, police rescued Saddam in the evening and took him to the police station. 

During interrogation, arrestee Amanullah confessed to the torture, he said.

OC Saiful said no one can take the law in their own hands.

If Saddam had stolen anything, Amanullah could have file a complaint with the police station, he added.

The OC, however, said Saddam is an accused in cases for theft and robbery filed with the police station, and he was detained before for his various crimes.