SM Mizanur Rahman :
Babul Matabbar, 45, a tea seller, who sustained burn injuries as cops pushed him down on a burning kerosene stove in the city’s Mirpur area on Wednesday night, died at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday afternoon.
Partha Shankar Pal, resident surgeon of the burn unit of DMCH, said Babul’s condition was critical as he received burns to 95 per cent of his body. “We tried our best with providing highest treatment. But at last we failed as Babul succumbed to his injuries at about 1:30pm,” he said.
According to local and family members, patrol police along with their source Delwar riding a microbus went to Babul’s tea stall adjacent to the Kingshuk Multipurpose Association gate in Gudaraghat area of Mirpur at about 9.30pm on Wednesday and demanded weekly ransom for running the shop illegally.
“As Babul refused to pay the toll, the cops started hitting him with stick and pushed him on the burning kerosene stove. At one stage, the stove exploded and the spilled kerosene oil spreading fast on his body with fire. As soon as Babul’s body caught fire, the police also beat my mother and later drove away with their microbus,” victim’s son Raju, who was on the spot during the incident, told reporters.
He said as his father fell down on the stove the cops started beating him.
Locals rushed Babul Matabbar to the burn unit of DMCH where he was undergoing treatment since Wednesday night.
Son of late of Sadeque Matabbbar of Munshirchar in Sadar upazila of Bhola, Babul used to reside in Gudaraghat area under Shah Ali Police Station. He ran a tea stall near his tin-shed house.
Babul’s wife Lucky Begum, 40, who was also on the spot, said the cops along with their source Delwar went to the shop twice on Wednesday afternoon.
She said Delwar returned along with another three policemen at about 9.30pm.
“Police and Delwar continued to put pressure on my husband to pay toll. They also issued threat to my husband that if he does not pay the toll timely, he will be indicted in a narcotics case. Yet my husband did not give them toll. Finally, they murdered my husband by pushing him on the burning kerosene stove. I want justice for my husband’s murder,” she said as wailing.
“But my husband started running a roadside tea-stall for the past few months,” she said, adding Delwar asked her husband to get in a microbus.
“As my husband did not pay heed to their command, cops and Delwar tried to force my husband into the vehicle. As my husband tried to free himself, they hit him and he fell on the burning stove,” Lucky said.
She said when she tried to douse the fire, cops also launched attack on her and assaulted physically.
Meanwhile, four policemen have been closed in connection with the burning of a tea seller to death.
They are — Sub-Inspector Mominur Rahman, SI Niazuddin Mollah, Assistant Sub-Inspector Jogendranath and constable Jasimuddin of Shah Ali Police Station in Dhaka.
Besides, two probe committees — one led by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Mirpur division) Masud Ahmed and the other by Deputy Commissioner (Discipline) of DMP Tutul Chakrabarty — have already been formed to investigate the incident.
“We have already started investigation against the closed cops. Based on investigation report, action will be taken against them,” said Kayumuzzaman Khan, Deputy Commissioner (Mirpur division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP),
Maruf Hossain Sarder, Deputy Commissioner (media) of DMP, talking to journalists at his office said the policemen, who were on duty in the area at the time of occurrence, were closed in the interest of fair investigation.
Officer-in-Charge of the police station Shahin Mondal said Babul had a scuffle with a police informant, Delwar.
At one stage of the fight, the kerosene stove fell onto the tea seller and the fire originated, he said.
Later, a patrol team of police took him to the DMCH, the OC added.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said no offenders would be spared if they were involved in Wednesday night’s incident in Gudaraghat of Mirpur.
The Home Minister promised justice if any policeman is involved in the incident saying they always take action against responsible persons when they can confirm any incidents after inquiry.
“We do not spare anybody whoever he is — police, police sources or any powerful persons. We will take appropriate steps after inquiry,” he told reporters in sidelines after attending a function at Tejgaon Adarsha School and College in the city.
