Mob attacks and sets fire to homes of accused in Noakhali lynching case
Photo Collected
Tensions escalated in the Begumganj sub-district of Noakhali on Sunday as a mob torched and ransacked at least eight homes in retaliation for the murder of a 23-year-old man. The violence erupted at 11:00 a.m., following the killing of Jubayer Hossain, also known as Rakib, who was beaten to death by assailants armed with iron rods late Saturday night.
According to police and local accounts, the victim and his brother, Rimon, were intercepted by a group of attackers while returning home in the Prak-Munshirhat area. The assailants subjected Rakib to a brutal beating, striking him repeatedly with iron rods, while his brother was assaulted when he attempted to intervene. Although local residents rushed to the scene following Rimon’s cries for help and transported Rakib to Noakhali General Hospital, he was declared dead upon arrival.
The morning after the killing, an enraged crowd—comprised of the victim’s relatives and neighbors—targeted the residences of several individuals suspected of involvement in the attack. The mob stormed houses belonging to people including a local ward member, causing extensive damage to kitchens and living quarters before setting the properties ablaze.
Officer-in-Charge of Begumganj Model Police Station, Md. Shamsuzzaman, confirmed that police intervened to bring the situation under control with the assistance of local residents. To prevent further unrest, the district police have deployed additional forces and members of the Detective Branch to the Sharifpur area.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the violence stems from long-standing friction between rival factions in the Khanpur and Swarnakar Para neighborhoods. Residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that Rakib had attempted to mediate a dispute between the groups at a local market, which ultimately provoked the aggression that led to his death.
Additional Superintendent of Police Abu Tayeb Md. Arif Hossain stated that authorities would not tolerate any breach of law and order. He added that the police are prepared to take legal action regarding both the initial homicide and the subsequent acts of arson and vandalism based on formal complaints from the affected families.
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