Another person dies in retaliatory attacks over chicken theft dispute

A school student injured in retaliatory attacks between two groups over a chicken theft dispute in Gabtali upazila of Bogura has died. He passed away while undergoing treatment at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital at around 10pm on Tuesday (18 November). Another person had previously been killed in the same incident. The twin killings have created tension and an uneasy situation in the area.

The deceased, Swadhin Islam (17), was a tenth-grade student at Ramchandrapur High School and College. Earlier, on 9 May, Toriqul Islam Bhutto (50), a member of the rival group, was hacked to death by followers of Swadhin. He was Swadhin’s maternal cousin.

Local sources said the conflict began in May this year over the theft of 42 chickens in Kittania village of Gabtali Durgahata.

An altercation first broke out between the poultry farm owners, Johurul and Khairul, and members of Swadhin’s group. A case was later filed, escalating tension. Recently, Swadhin and his associates attacked Khairul and his two brothers, leaving them seriously injured. In retaliation, on 9 May, Khairul and his associates attacked Swadhin with sharp weapons, injuring him.

On the same evening, Bhutto was returning home from Ramchandrapur market in a van when followers of Swadhin found him alone at Kittania market and killed him by hacking. Following Bhutto’s murder, members of Swadhin’s family have reportedly gone into hiding. However, they claim the attacks were not only over chicken theft but also linked to longstanding land disputes between the two sides, which ultimately caused the deaths of two people.

Bogura DB Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Iqbal Bahar said the body of Swadhin Islam has been kept in the hospital morgue for post-mortem examination.

He added that the body would be handed over to the family after the autopsy, and legal measures would be taken upon receiving complaints.

Khaborwala/TSN