A 40-year-old man was killed after assailants allegedly severed the tendons in both of his legs during an attack in Tongi, Gazipur, with police suspecting a dispute over the buying and selling of drugs as the motive.
The incident took place at a sand field in the Gopalpur area of Tongi at around 11.45pm on Tuesday, 1 September.
The deceased, Nurul Islam, was the son of the late Nazrul Islam of Tepirbari area in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur. He had been living with his family in a rented house in Gopalpur.
According to police, Nurul had been involved in a dispute with several local youths over drug transactions. Police said the dispute had been continuing for some time before the attack.
At around 8pm on Tuesday, several youths allegedly called Nurul out of his home. He was subsequently taken to a sand field in the Gopalpur area. Nearly four hours later, at around 11.45pm, he was allegedly attacked with a sharp weapon. His tendons in both legs were severed, leaving him critically injured.
The attackers then placed the injured man in a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw. He was taken to Tongi’s Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital, where doctors examined him and declared him dead.
Following the incident, police detained the auto-rickshaw driver, identified as Jisan, on suspicion of involvement. He was taken to the police station for questioning as investigators sought to establish the circumstances in which Nurul was transported to the hospital and whether the driver had any connection with the attack.
Police are also examining the circumstances surrounding Nurul’s disappearance from his home, the identities of the people who allegedly took him away and the dispute that preceded the assault. The investigation is expected to focus on whether the reported disagreement over drug transactions directly led to the killing.
Mohammad Maksudul Alam, officer-in-charge of Tongi East Police Station, said one person had been detained and was being questioned in connection with the incident.
He said legal proceedings were under way.
The killing has raised fresh concerns over violent disputes linked to illegal drug transactions in densely populated urban areas. However, police have yet to publicly identify the main suspects or establish the full circumstances behind Nurul Islam’s death. The exact role, if any, of the detained auto-rickshaw driver will also depend on the findings of the investigation.
