Three people have died from severe burn injuries sustained after an angry mob set fire to the homes of suspects involved in the rape and murder of a teenage girl in Pabna Sadar upazila.
The fatalities were confirmed on Tuesday following the deaths of two individuals at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.
Another victim had succumbed to injuries at the same hospital on Monday afternoon. The deceased have been identified as Sumon Sheikh, Saiful Islam Sabbir, and Sapu, all residents of the Bharara union area.
The incident was triggered by the discovery of a teenage girl's body in the Padma River last Wednesday. Following her burial on Thursday, an agitated crowd attacked and set fire to the homes of the accused individuals. The fire caused several cooking gas cylinders to explode, injuring several neighbors and onlookers who had gathered at the scene.
Police noted that none of the accused family members were present in the houses at the time of the arson attack.
Pabna Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Tarikul Islam confirmed the three deaths, stating that legal proceedings regarding the arson and subsequent fatalities are currently underway.
In the original murder case, police have arrested three suspects, including the girl's alleged boyfriend, Nayem.
Authorities stated that the suspects have confessed to the rape and murder during initial interrogation. The teenage girl’s body had been found stuffed inside a sack, sparking widespread outrage in the local community.
