A 22-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was stabbed to death in Rupganj, Narayanganj, allegedly by a group of men who hired his vehicle before attempting to steal it. Police have arrested two suspects and recovered the stolen auto-rickshaw.
The suspects were produced before a court at noon on Monday, 12 October. The incident took place at around 2am on Sunday, 11 October, near the Rupsi-Bag Bari Bridge in Rupganj upazila.
The victim, Rajon Mia, was the son of Milon Mia and a resident of the Rupsi Kahina area of Tarabo Municipality in Rupganj.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Faisal Mia, son of Raja Mia of the Chanpara area in Rupganj, and Jamal Mia, son of Abdul Kadir Mia of the Karimpur area under Noakhali Sadar Police Station.
Mehedi Islam, assistant superintendent of police for Narayanganj’s ‘Ga’ Circle, said a group of young men posed as passengers and hired Rajon’s auto-rickshaw from Rupsi stand.
When the vehicle reached the Rupsi-Bag Bari Bridge area, the men allegedly attacked Rajon with a sharp knife in an attempt to steal the vehicle. They stabbed him in several parts of his body, including his neck, before leaving him by the roadside and fleeing with the auto-rickshaw, the police official said.
Local residents found Rajon in a critical condition and took him to the nearby US-Bangla Medical College Hospital. Doctors there declared him dead.
Following the incident, Rupganj Police launched an operation to track down those involved. Officers chased the suspects in the Tarabo area and arrested Faisal and Jamal, recovering the stolen auto-rickshaw during the operation, Mehedi Islam said.
Police sent Rajon’s body to the morgue at Narayanganj General Hospital for an autopsy. The victim’s family has filed a case in connection with the killing, according to the police.
Authorities have not provided further details about whether other individuals were involved in the attack or whether additional arrests are expected.
The killing has drawn attention to the safety risks faced by transport workers who operate late at night. Drivers who accept passengers after dark can be particularly vulnerable to robbery and violent attacks. The investigation is expected to establish the full circumstances of Rajon’s death and determine whether anyone else was involved.
