A class 10 student was hacked to death and three others were injured in an attack allegedly by illegal drug traders in Noakhali’s Senbag upazila last night.
The deceased, Arafat Hossain Fahim, 16, was the son of Md Shahjahan of Choumuhani Municipality in Begumganj upazila. He was visiting his maternal grandfather’s house at Debisinghpur village in Senbag when the incident occurred.
Police have detained a man named Md Harun, 35, in connection with the incident.
Abu Tayeb Md Arif Hossain, additional superintendent of police (Finance & Administration) of Noakhali, confirmed the matter in a press release.
Eyewitness Delwar Hossain Nobel said a group led by Harun, Jahangir, Abul Khayer and Momin had long been involved in an illegal drug business in the area. They allegedly used to consume drugs on a bridge behind Hazera Dighi.
Five or six days ago, local youths, including Fahim, detained a drug user named Manna, who reportedly disclosed Harun’s involvement during initial questioning. Following this, locals protested against the drug trade, forcing the group to stop the illegal activities for a few days.
However, around 9:30pm yesterday, Harun, Momin and Jahangir were allegedly consuming marijuana near Sombaria Bazar in Nabipur union of the upazila.
At that time, Fahim and his companions tried to stop them, leading to a clash between the two groups.
Fahim was stabbed in the chest, while three others were injured. Among them, Rifat suffered severed tendons in his hand, and Sakib sustained injuries to his right hand.
Local residents rescued the injured and took them to the 250-bed Noakhali General Hospital in Maijdee that night. Fahim died while undergoing treatment. The hospital’s emergency department doctor said he died due to excessive bleeding.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Senbag Police Station Abdur Rahim Sarker said the initial investigation suggested that the incident stemmed from a dispute over drug-related activities. After receiving the news, police inspected the scene.
The prime suspect, Harun, has been detained, and a blood-stained sharp weapon has been recovered from the spot.
The process of taking legal action and filing a case is underway. Formal action will be taken after receiving a written complaint from the victim’s family, the OC said.
