Teenager ‘commits suicide’ after police take away mother, sister
When police tried to arrest Maruf, a scuffle ensued between officers and his family members
A teenager reportedly committed suicide in Agrabad, Chattogram on Thursday after police allegedly picked up his mother and sister when the family tried to prevent officers from arresting the boy.
The deceased Salman Islam Maruf, 17, was a 10th grader at the Agrabad Government Colony High School.
According to his relatives, Maruf had recently been questioning random people in the Badamtali area of Agrabad after his bicycle got stolen.
On Thursday night, he started questioning a man about his bicycle. At one stage, both of them got involved in an altercation and then Maruf came to know that the man was a police informant.
Some plainclothes policemen at the scene tried to detain Maruf, but he managed to escape and went home.
Later, a team led by Sub-Inspector (SI) Helal Uddin from Double Mooring Police Station went to Maruf's house to arrest him. When they forcibly tried to take Maruf away, a scuffle ensued between the officers and Maruf's family members. At one point his sister fainted and Maruf escaped. The police then took his sister and mother with them.
Maruf allegedly committed suicide after he returned home and came to know about the incident, said the relatives.
On the other hand, Faruk Ul Haque, deputy commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), said, "A team of police led by SI Helal Uddin from Double Mooring Police Station went to Maruf's house to arrest him but his mother and sister tried to snatch him away from the police. At that time, Maruf's sister fainted and police took her to a hospital. Her mother also went with them. But Maruf thought that police had detained his mother and sister."
However, SI Helal Uddin has been closed for his involvement in the incident, said Faruk.
According to locals, after Maruf's death, his mother and sister were brought back to their home. Then locals got agitated and blocked the police from leaving the area. The situation calmed down after SI Helal was suspended instantly.
The CMP formed a two-member probe committee headed by Assistant Commissioner for Double Mooring Zone Srima Chakma. The committee was asked to submit its investigation report by 5pm on Friday.
"The body of a teenager named Maruf was recovered at night. The incident is under investigation. Nothing more can be said now," Srima Chakma said.