A Class-X student was hacked to death allegedly by drug dealers in an attack that also left three other individuals injured in Senbagh upazila of Noakhali on Wednesday night.

The deceased was identified as Arafat Hossain Fahim, 16, son of Shahjahan of Hajipur area under Ward No 9 of Chowmuhani municipality in Begumganj upazila.

According to local people, a group of youths had recently protested against alleged drug dealing at village Debisinghpur under Nabipur union.

They reportedly detained a drug user named Manna, who, during questioning, disclosed the involvement of several local drug traders, including Md Harun, 35, son of Zainal Abedin of Jora Bari at the same village.

Following the incident, local youths began patrolling the area at night, forcing the alleged drug traders to remain inactive for several days.

On Wednesday night, a group of alleged drug dealers, led by Harun, Jahangir, Momin and Abul Khayer, attacked several youths, including Ali Haidar, 18, Rifat, 20, and Sakib, near Baitun Aman Mosque around 8:00pm.

They also attacked Arafat, who came to visit his grandparents and aunt at village Debisinghpur.

The incident left four of them injured.

Local people rescued and took them to 250-bed Noakhali General Hospital, where doctors declared Arafat dead.

Officer-in-charge of Senbagh Police Station Abdur Rahim Sarkar said that preliminary investigations suggested that the attack stemmed from a dispute related to drug activities in the area.

He said that they arrested Harun in connection with the incident.