A young man was beaten to death by staff of a filling station in Jhenaidah on Saturday night over a dispute over the sale of fuel. Police have detained three staff members in connection with the incident. Additional law enforcement personnel have been deployed at the scene.
The incident took place around 7:30 pm at Messrs Taj Filling Station in the central bus terminal area of the district.
The deceased was identified as Nirob Ahmed, son of Alimur Biswas of Badurgachhi village in Barobazar under Kaliganj upazila.
According to police and local sources, Nirob went to the filling station on Saturday night to buy fuel. When the staff said they were unable to provide fuel, he left the place. A short while later, he returned to the filling station and saw the staff supplying fuel in a bottle to another person. When he protested over being denied fuel, an argument broke out. At one stage, the staff allegedly beat him with sticks, leaving him critically injured.
He was later rescued and taken to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police detained three staff members of the filling station in connection with the incident.
News of Nirob’s death triggered tension in the town. Angry locals vandalised another filling station owned by the same proprietor.
Nirob’s cousin Sohel Hossain said, “My brother was a simple man. He had gone to the filling station to get fuel for his motorcycle. There was a minor argument with the employees, but the way they beat him to death is unacceptable. I demand justice for this killing.”
Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Mahfuz Hossain said that Nirob was beaten and injured at the filling station. He was taken to the hospital where doctors declared him dead. Three filling station employees have been detained and additional police have been deployed at the scene.