Khitish Mondal beaten to death in Satkhira on suspicion of fish theft

OTN Bangla Desk: A 52-year-old fish farmer was allegedly beaten to death on suspicion of stealing fish from a fish enclosure in Tala upazila of Satkhira. He died while receiving treatment at Tala Hospital around noon on Friday, 16 October.

The deceased, Khitish Mondal, was the son of the late Monindra Nath Mondal of Jeyala village in Tala.

His cousin, Partha Mondal, said Khitish was detained around 3am on suspicion of stealing fish from an enclosure owned by Bishwanath Ghosh at Jeyala Uttar Khola Beel.

Partha alleged that a group of 10–15 people, including Bishwanath Ghosh, Shimul Ghosh, Samar Ghosh, Ibrahim Khan, Habibur Sheikh and Gaffar Sheikh, tied Khitish to a tree near the Jeyala cremation ground and repeatedly assaulted him.

According to Partha, the attackers broke Khitish’s arms and legs, inflicted cutting wounds to his head and attempted to gouge out his eyes. He alleged that the assault continued from around 3am until dawn.

With help from local residents, Khitish was rescued around 8am and admitted to Tala Hospital, where he died around noon.

“My cousin was a fish farmer. He had a four-bigha fish enclosure of his own. How could someone be beaten to death like this merely on suspicion of theft?” Partha said.

Tala Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohsin Ali said Khitish had been beaten to death on suspicion of stealing fish from an enclosure.

He added that police were preparing an inquest report and sending the body to the morgue for a post-mortem examination. Legal action would be taken over the incident, he said.