Man lynched in Naraynganj was the father, not child abductor

A mob lynched a man in Narayanganj’s Siddhirganj on Saturday, but now he comes out to be the father of the 7-year-old girl who the locals suspected was being abducted by him.

The man with speech disorder, identified as only 30-year-old Siraj, went to see his daughter, who is living with his wife after separation eight months ago.

Hailing from Bhola, Siraj and his family moved to Siddhirganj’s Silo four years ago. He was a day labourer who usually worked as a construction worker’s assistant.

His wife fled with his daughter and married another man, Abdul Mannan Sohel, of Mizmizi area in Siddhirganj.

Siraj’s brother ‘Alam’ alleged the woman had Siraj killed.

Acting upon the woman’s instructions, Sohel told the locals that he himself was the father of the girl and Siraj was an abductor when the latter went to meet the girl on her way back home, where her mother lives with Sohel, Alam alleged.

Sohel could not be reached for comment on the allegation on his mobile phone.

Siddhirganj Police Station OC Shaheen Shah Parvez said they had arrested a total of 14 people over the killing of Siraj and the mob beating of another woman in the area on Saturday. 

Narayanganj Superintendent of Police Harun-or-Rashid said those who are spreading rumours about child abduction will also face action along with those involved in mob beating.

Siraj is among at least five people lynched in two days amid the rumour that “child abductors are on the prowl to collect heads and blood for construction of Padma Bridge”.

A resident of Silo area, ‘Alauddin’, said Siraj borrowed Tk 100 from ‘Mokhles’, a mobile phone shop owner, and bought biscuits, chips, and bangles for his daughter.

“He was so happy. How could people kill him so brutally?” Alauddin asked.