2 beaten to death on suspicion of theft in Rajshahi

Two construction workers were beaten to death on suspicion of theft in Rajshahi city's Sopura BSCIC area on Thursday night.

The victims were identified as Ataur Rahman, 45, and Rakibul Islam, 43, said Majharul Islam, officer-in-charge of Boalia Police Station.

Ataur and Rakibul were doing repair works at the house, he said.

The bodies were sent to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Rakibul's wife Suma Khatun filed a murder case with the police station.

Police arrested four persons -- the house owner Abdullah, 38, his father-in-law Masum Reza, 50, cousin Moin Uddin, 20, and employee Imran Hossain, 21.

The house owner suspected that the two construction workers were involved in stealing Tk 4 lakh from the house. He and his relatives kept them confined to their house in the afternoon and tortured them after tying them to bamboo poles, said police. On information from locals, police rescued the two injured from the house at 8:00pm and admitted them to RMCH.

They succumbed to his injuries at the hospital at night. Police said they got a hold of a video footage of the torture where they were seen forcing the workers to admit that they stole the money.