University student’s life cut short over rice theft

A 21-year-old university student was allegedly beaten to death and thrown from the rooftop of a four-storey building in the Khulna city’s Islamnagar area in the early hours of Saturday, following an accusation of eating someone else’s rice.

The deceased was identified as Md Azmul Hossain, a first-semester English Department student at the private North Western University in Khulna. He was the son of Qutub Uddin and Asma Begum of Baro Sholua village under Darshana Police Station in Chuadanga district.

According to police and local sources, around 50 to 60 students reside in the private mess located behind Khwaja Khan Jahan Ali Hall of Khulna University. Azmul had been living in room D-8 on the fourth floor for about a year.

Trouble began on Friday night when Azmul allegedly ate rice belonging to the mess manager, Mehedi, a former student of Gopalganj University of Engineering and Technology.

Shortly afterwards, several students and outsiders reportedly took Azmul to the rooftop and beat him severely over the alleged theft.

At around 12:30am, nearby residents heard a loud thump and discovered Azmul lying critically injured in the alley next to the building.

Other students transported him to Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) in a university ambulance, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. The students reportedly left the hospital premises soon after his death was confirmed.

The duty doctor at KMCH said Azmul had sustained multiple injury marks across his body and that both of his legs were fractured.

Visiting the mess on Saturday afternoon, this correspondent found seven of the eight rooms on the fourth floor locked.

Labib Biswas Russell, a student residing in room D-1, confirmed the assault. "I saw them taking him to the rooftop and beating him over the theft allegation. But I do not know how he died," Russell said.

Fatema, a domestic worker at the mess, said that several students and outsiders assaulted Azmul on Friday night over the rice-eating dispute despite her repeated pleas to stop. A woman from an adjacent building also reported hearing a loud noise around 12:30am before spotting the young man on the ground.

Azmul's father, Qutub Uddin, alleged foul play and extortion. He said an unidentified caller phoned him from his son's mobile number around midnight, demanding Tk 1 lakh. The caller claimed Azmul had "created a problem" and must pay if his father wanted him back alive.

"I am a poor farmer. Where would I get Tk 1 lakh?" a grieving Qutub said, adding that he was later informed of his son's death.

Md Iqbal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Harintana Police Station, said law enforcement officers are investigating the incident. "If the deceased's father does not lodge a complaint, the police will file a case as the complainant," he stated.

Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) Assistant Commissioner Humayun Kabir confirmed that necessary legal action would follow.

North Western University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Kanai Lal Sarker said Azmul had enrolled on September 10, leaving the university with limited background records. "We have reached out to his family and assured them of our full cooperation in taking legal steps," he said.

The killing marks the third suspected mob lynching in Khulna city within weeks. On September 9, a 24-year-old youth named Sajmir was beaten to death over an alleged theft, while another youth, Md Raju, 26, was killed on August 18 over suspected child abduction.