Elderly freedom fighter tied to tree, garlanded with shoes and handed over to police

Police say the man from Mymensingh’s Gafargaon has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl

An elderly freedom fighter was allegedly subjected to public humiliation in Mymensingh’s Gafargaon Upazila, tied to a tree and garlanded with shoes by villagers, before being handed over to police over a sexual assault allegation.

Pagla Police chief Ferdous Alam said the incident occurred in a village in Moshakhali union around 11:30am on Tuesday.

He said the man was sent to jail custody through the court in a case filed over the sexual harassment of a teenage girl.

The man, 68-year-old Abdul Karim Military, is a resident of Moshakhali union.

Citing the case statement, officer Ferdous said Karim allegedly tried to sexually abuse a teenage girl when he found her alone at home. Hearing the girl's cries for help, locals detained him. They then tied him to a tree and informed police.

He said, "I am not certain about the part involving the garland of shoes. He was rescued from the scene and taken to the police station."

The police officer added that the father of the victim teen filed a case accusing him of sexual assault.

Imtiaz Ahmed, president of Mymensingh Samaj Rupantor Sanskritik Sangha, said: "Tying an elderly man to a tree and putting a garland of shoes around his neck is nothing but social degradation.

"If someone commits a crime, they should be punished according to the law. If we do not value people as human beings, injustice and wickedness in society cannot be prevented."