Father commits suicide after son fined over theft suspicion

A father reportedly took his own life after his son was fined Tk 60,000 in a village arbitration for allegedly stealing an electric motor at Kashiani upazila in Gopalganj district on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Amal Bar, 62, a farmer by profession, was a resident of Rahuthar village under Hatiara union.

The family members alleged that Amal was devastated by the financial burden and the insults hurled at his family following the arbitration. Unable to bear the humiliation and pressure of the fine, he hanged himself from a tree near his home on early Monday.

According to locals, the theft occurred a few days earlier when a motor belonging to Kamal Roy's wife was stolen. The victim's son Sujay Bar and one Diganta Roy, both residents of the same village, were suspected of the theft. On Saturday, a village arbitration was held at Rahuthar Udayan High School where local elders fined the two young men Tk 60,000 for the crime which they allegedly admitted to.

The fine created turmoil in Sujay Bar's impoverished family, and they faced public ridicule. Unable to cope with the shame, the father of accused hanged himself. Locals discovered his body hanging from a tree and informed his family and police.

Upon receiving the news, police arrived at the scene and recovered the body. It was sent to Gopalganj General Hospital for an autopsy.

Nirottom Sikdar, a member of the Hatiara Union Council and one of the arbitrators, confirmed that the young men admitted to the theft including a previous incident which led to the fine.

Kashiani Police Station officer-in-charge Md. Shafiuddin Khan said that the body has been sent for autopsy and the exact cause of death will be determined after the report. 

A case of unnatural death has been filed in connection with the incident, added the OC.