DHAKA– Two Hindu men were beaten to death by a mob in Rangpur district’s Taraganj upazila over the weekend, in yet another case of mob violence in Bangladesh. A graphic video of the attack, widely shared on social media, has triggered widespread condemnation both within the country and internationally.
The victims, identified as 40-year-old Ruplal Das of Ghanirampur and 35-year-old Pradip Das of Mithapukur upazila, were reportedly targeted on suspicion of theft. The attack took place at the Burirhat High School grounds.
Local reports indicate that police initially arrived at the scene but failed to intervene effectively, allegedly retreating in fear. By the time reinforcements from police and army units arrived, Ruplal was already dead and most of the attackers had fled, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
Eyewitnesses told the Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo that 15 to 20 young men led the assault. The video shows Ruplal and Pradip lying in a van surrounded by hundreds of onlookers, many of them young men. When police attempted to disperse the crowd, the mob grew aggressive, forcing officers to withdraw and leaving the victims — already gravely injured — behind.
Once the police left, the attackers resumed their assault, punching, kicking, and striking the men with sticks and metal rods. At one point, Pradip fell from the van to the ground. Several men were seen repeatedly kicking Ruplal in the back until he stopped moving, while others shouted, “Give it more!” Pointing to Pradip, one man urged, “Give him some, too,” prompting another to strike him harder with a tree branch.
Police said the victims were taken to Taraganj Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Ruplal dead on arrival. Pradip was transferred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, where he died early Sunday from his injuries.
Following the incident, Ruplal’s wife, Bharati Rani, filed a murder case at Taraganj police station, naming between 500 and 700 individuals as suspects. Authorities have so far arrested four men: Ebadat Hossain of Balapur; Akhtarul Islam and Rafiqul Islam of Burirhat; and Mizanur Rahman of Rahimapur.
Bangladesh has faced a spate of mob lynchings and rising lawlessness since the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government took power last year. (Source: IANS)
