Imam beaten by locals over sodomy allegations dies in Gazipur jail

An imam of a mosque, who was severely beaten by locals over the alleged sodomisation of multiple minors, passed away in Gazipur District Jail in the early hours of today (28 April). 

Rohij Uddin, 35, who was the imam and khatib of the Akhladul Jame Mosque in Haidarabad area in Gazipur's Pubail, was accused of sexually violating a male madrasah student and allegedly drugging and sexually abusing other young boys.

Yesterday morning (27 April), locals caught Rohij, put a garland of shoes around his neck and tied him to a tree, and beat him after the allegations against him surfaced.

Police rescued him and later arrested him in a case filed under Section 9(1) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act by a victim's guardian at Pubail Police Station. A Gazipur court sent Rohij to the District Jail after he was presented before it in the case.

Pubail police OC Md Kamruzzaman confirmed the incident and the imam's death, saying Rohij was taken to jail in poor health. He was rushed to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital after he fell ill in jail at around 3am Monday.

Rohij was declared dead on arrival by on-duty doctors. His body was sent for an autopsy later in the morning, said the OC.

Rafiqul Kader, the superintendent of Gazipur District Jail, made similar remarks confirming Rohij's death.

He added, "Rohij Uddin was physically unwell because of the beating when he was brought to jail. There were signs of public assault on his body."

According to police and locals, Rohij allegedly lured young boys with video games and soft drinks, which he is suspected of spiking to render them unconscious before sexually abusing them. The incident that triggered the public beating involved a college student who reported feeling unwell after drinking a beverage offered by the imam and then informed his family after managing to flee.