Youth beaten to death over theft: Cox's Bazar NCP member among 3 sent to jail

A Cox's Bazar court has sent three individuals to jail, including a member of National Citizen Party's (NCP) district committee, who were arrested yesterday (5 May) over the killing of a youth on theft suspicion.

The court of Senior Judicial Magistrate Akhtar Javed passed the order this afternoon (6 May), Cox's Bazar Additional Superintendent of Police Md Jashim Uddin confirmed the matter to The Business Standard.

Police, however, said the victim's family has yet to file a case formally with the police station over the incident, which occurred at the Allawala hatchery in Khurushkul union.

The accused who were sent to jail are NCP member Raiyan Kashem, Md Hossain, a night guard at the Allawala Hatchery, and Md Mizan.

Rayian Kashem is the district coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and a member of the NCP's Cox's Bazar committee. The hatchery is owned by his father, Jahangir Kashem, a former leader of Islami Chhatra Shibir and is currently the central vice-president of AB Party.

Additional Superintendent Md Jashim said following the incident, four individuals were initially detained. 

"Of them, Raiyan Kashem was injured in an attack by an angry mob and was hospitalised under police custody. As his condition was not deemed critical, doctors at Chattogram Medical College Hospital discharged him. He was brought back to Cox's Bazar by police on Monday night," he added.

He added that three of the suspects were presented before the Cox's Bazar court this morning. After a hearing, the court ordered them to be sent to jail. However, one of the four detainees was released.

Jasim Uddin also said once an official complaint from the victim's family is received, the case will be formally recorded. Meanwhile, police are continuing efforts to identify and arrest those involved in the incident.

On Tuesday evening, student leaders of the movement announced a torch procession, demanding Raiyan's release.

The deceased, Ali Akbar, 25, son of Ali Ahmed of Kuliapara in Khurushkul union under Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila, was accused of stealing fish and was forcibly taken from his home and reportedly killed in a premeditated attack, claims the victim's family.

They also claimed he was killed over a land dispute.

Before being attacked by an enraged mob, NCP member Raiyan Kashem told the media that their security guards caught Ali Akbar red-handed while stealing from the hatchery.

He alleged that Akbar attacked them, and then the guards acted in self-defence, which ultimately led to his death.