A 62-year-old man was brutally hacked to death in the Rangunia upazila of Chittagong late on Tuesday night, following a heated altercation linked to a longstanding family marriage dispute.

The victim, identified as Abdul Mannan, son of the late Nur Mohammad, was a resident of the Hafez Bazlur Rahman house in Betagi Union’s Ward 7. He succumbed to multiple severe sharp-weapon injuries while being rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

The tragic incident stems from a protracted conflict between two related households in the locality over a marriage issue. The situation deteriorated earlier on Tuesday at a local bazaar, where Mozammel, a 45-year-old neighbour, confronted Abdul Mannan’s cousin. When Mozammel reportedly began issuing threats, Abdul Mannan intervened to protest against the harassment. A scuffle ensued between the two men, though nearby villagers quickly stepped in to defuse the tension and mediate a temporary resolution.

However, the quiet proved short-lived. Driven by resentment over the afternoon confrontation, Mozammel allegedly rallied a group of accomplices to stage a retaliation. Following the night Esha prayers, as Abdul Mannan walked back home, the assailants ambushed him in an unlit section of the road. Armed with sharp weapons, the attackers set upon him repeatedly before fleeing the scene, leaving him collapsed on the ground with catastrophic wounds.

Distressed relatives and local residents hurried to the site after hearing the commotion. They immediately evacuated the victim to a nearby healthcare facility in the Pahartali area of neighbouring Raozan upazila. Given the severity of his trauma, attending doctors ordered an urgent transfer to CMCH in Chittagong city. Tragically, Abdul Mannan passed away en route.

In-charge of the CMCH police outpost, Inspector Nurul Alam Ashek, confirmed the arrival of the deceased and corroborated that initial family statements point directly to the ongoing marital feud as the catalyst for the fatal assault.

Law enforcement agencies have initiated a swift inquiry into the violence. Mohammad Jahir Uddin, Officer-in-Charge of Rangunia Model Police Station, stated that a forensic team visited the crime scene to secure evidence, and targeted raids are currently underway across the district to track down Mozammel and his accomplices.