A domestic dispute over suspected battery theft culminated in tragedy late on Monday night in Manikganj Sadar Upazila, after a man allegedly kicked his father-in-law to death upon being caught red-handed.
The deceased has been identified as 48-year-old Siddique Ali, an auto-rickshaw driver residing in the Sakrail village of Garpara Union. Police have arrested his 27-year-old son-in-law, Russell, in connection with the fatal assault.
According to local residents and police sources, the incident unfolded around 2:00 am when Russell attempted to steal the battery of an electric three-wheeler—locally known as a “Hello Bike”—from Siddique Ali’s residence. Family members, alerted by unusual noises in the dead of night, confronted Russell on the premises.
A heated altercation ensued between Siddique and his son-in-law. As the argument escalated, Russell struck Siddique with a heavy kick, knocking him forcefully to the ground. The victim sustained severe injuries from the impact and collapsed instantly.
Babul Miah, a local witness who rushed to the spot after hearing screams, described the scene: “I ran outside upon hearing the commotion and saw Siddique and Russell engaged in a fierce argument. All of a sudden, Russell kicked Siddique, sending him crashing to the floor. By the time we managed to transport him to the hospital, the attending doctor declared him dead on arrival.”
Siddique’s grieving wife, Runa Begum, alleged that Russell was not acting alone and claimed that at least two accomplices, including an individual named Shaon, accompanied him during the attempted theft. Neighbours further revealed that Russell has a history of substance abuse and frequently engaged in petty crimes and theft to fund his drug habit, causing persistent distress to the family.
Superintendent Monir Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Manikganj Sadar Police Station, confirmed that Russell has been taken into police custody. However, because local residents severely assaulted him immediately following the incident, Russell is currently receiving medical treatment in hospital under strict police guard.
The police chief added that the precise cause of death will be established once the post-mortem report is finalized. Formal legal proceedings against the accused are currently underway.
