Porsha records 19 unnatural deaths in seven months

PORSHA, NAOGAON, Aug 6: At least 19 people died in unnatural incidents in Naogaon's Porsha Upazila over the past seven months, according to police records.

The deaths resulted from suicide, homicide, road accidents, drowning, electrocution, snakebites and other incidents, with police recovering all the bodies and initiating legal procedures.

Police data show that suicides accounted for the highest number of deaths, with six people taking their own lives during the period. Four of them died by hanging; they were identified as Atul Barman, 60, of Palash Danga Village in Tentulia Union; Prashanta Barman, 25, of Bara Ranail Village; Jewel Mondal, 39, of Balichand Village in Mashidpur Union; and Ayub Ali, 47, of Tatipara Village in Ghatnagar Union.

Two others died by suicide after consuming poison and an excessive number of sleeping pills. They were Sumaiya Jannat, 18, of Tatipara Village, and Rakibul Islam Raju, 18, of Chaor Khatirpur Village.

Among road accident victims were Hafiz Uddin Happy, 65, of Katipur Village in Saraigachhi, and indigenous leader and upazila Awami League Organising Secretary Ramlal Kujur, 40, who was killed after being hit by a locally made engine-powered vehicle.

In another incident on April 1, Marzina Khatun, 26, of Sheetali Dangapara Village in Nitpur Union, died after allegedly being struck with a pressure cooker thrown by her husband, Abdul Mokim, during a family dispute. Police later arrested the husband.

Snakebite claimed the lives of contractor Saminul Islam Shah, 55, in May; Abdullah, 10, of Itapukur Village on July 8; Rakibul Islam, 17, of Paschim Haripur on July 17; and Fawzia, 46, wife of Osman Ali of Dhuladanga Village, on July 31.

Three people died from electrocution: Tahurul Islam, 36, of Shovapur Village; Saidul Islam, 40, of Shisha Dangapara; and, on July 28, Abdul Aziz, 27, and Mahbur Rahman, 28, of Katkoil Bilpara Village in Mashidpur Union.

Two children also drowned during the period. They were six-year-old Fatema of Chhatia Village and seven-year-old Mahim of Purba Diyarapara in Nitpur Union.

Police also recovered the body of Bulu, 58, a resident of Sapahar Upazila, from beside a canal in Srikrishnapur Kuladanga Village under Nitpur Union on February 18.

Officer-in-Charge Ziaur Rahman of Porsha Police Station said an unnatural death (UD) case had been filed in each incident and legal procedures were followed.

He said preventing premature and unnatural deaths requires not only legal action but also greater awareness within families and communities.