Auto-Rickshaw Driver Killed in Alleged Robbery, Mother Dies After Hearing News

A 60-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was allegedly killed during an attempt to steal his vehicle in Kapasia, Gazipur, while his 75-year-old mother reportedly died after learning of her only son’s death.

The victim, Ata Mia, a resident of Batna village in Ghagotia Chala area of Kapasia, was found dead on a secluded rural road in the Mirzanagar Shimultali area of Sanmania union on Thursday evening.

Police said they received information about the incident through the national emergency service 999 after evening fell. Members of the Aral Bazar Police Investigation Centre subsequently went to the area beside Mirzanagar Girls’ High School. They found the body of an elderly man lying by the roadside on the isolated Shimultali road and recovered it for further investigation.

Ata Mia had continued driving an auto-rickshaw despite his advanced age, as his family depended on his income. Relatives said he had been working to support the household and meet the family’s financial needs.

Preliminary information suggests that he may have been attacked while his auto-rickshaw was being taken away. Police found marks consistent with injuries caused by a sharp weapon, including an injury to his head. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the death and are also working to establish whether the vehicle was actually taken during the incident.

The tragedy deepened when news of Ata Mia’s death reached his home. According to family members, his elderly mother, Zohura Khatun, became seriously distressed after learning that her only son had died. She subsequently fell ill and died, relatives said.

The deaths have left the family facing a double tragedy within a short period. Ata Mia’s death has also raised concerns over the safety of people who operate small commercial vehicles on isolated roads, particularly during the evening when such routes can become deserted.

Shafiqul Islam, inspector-in-charge of the Aral Bazar Police Investigation Centre, said there were visible signs of sharp-weapon injuries on Ata Mia’s head. He said the incident was being treated as a serious matter and that the circumstances were under investigation.

The officer-in-charge of Kapasia Police Station said the incident appeared to be a case of homicide at the preliminary stage. Arrangements were being made to send the body to the mortuary of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Police are investigating the circumstances leading to Ata Mia’s death, attempting to recover the allegedly stolen auto-rickshaw and working to identify and apprehend those responsible. The post-mortem findings are expected to help investigators establish the precise cause and nature of the injuries and provide further evidence for the case.