Suicide of hindu NGO worker in Ctg falsified as communal killing

Fact-checking body Rumor Scanner in an investigation debunked a claim of murder of a Hindu NGO worker named Shukla De Tikli in Boalkhali, Chattogram.

In a report published on its website today, the fact-checking watchdog said recently, a claim has been circulated on social media that a Hindu woman named Shukla Dey Tikli was killed in Boalkhali, Chattogram.

In fact, an incident of suicide due to mental stress is being spread as communal killing.

In the investigation of the claim, a report published on the website of the electronic media Jamuna Television under the title "Body of a female NGO worker recovered in Chattogram on January 6" was found.

After reviewing the report, it is seen that the picture of the woman in the discussed claim is similar to the picture of the woman used in the said report.

The report also revealed that the woman in the picture is named Shukla Dey.

She was working as a field worker at a financial institution called Rupsha Sarbik Gram Unnayan Samabay Samity Limited.

On the night of January 4, the police recovered her body from her house in Palpara, Sreepur-Kharandwip Union of the upazila. Her relatives told the reporter that the institution had put pressure on her to collect the loan instalments. Due to this, she chose to commit suicide out of frustration.

It is also learned that Shukla's husband Sidul Pal has filed a case against four officials of the institution, accusing them of inciting her to commit suicide in this incident.

In the case statement, he alleged that Shukla joined the Kanungopara branch of the institution as a field worker in May 2023. The institution provides microloans to people in the area. Since August 5, there has been a slow recovery of instalments. This has led to a rift between Shukla and the officials of the institution for several months.

Last November, the institution deducted the unpaid installment money from Shukla's monthly salary. The case alleges that Shukla committed suicide after being unable to bear the mental pressure and being tortured to collect the loan instalments. Subsequent investigation revealed the same information from another report published on the YouTube channel of Independent TV about the same incident.

Therefore, the suicide of an NGO worker named Shukla De is being circulated on the internet claiming it to be a communal murder; which is misleading.