A man who was recognized for confronting minor criminals at the local market was fatally attacked by unknown assailants in the Mirerhat region of Sitakunda upazila in Chattogram. Belal Hossain, approximately 35 years old, was discovered lying in a pool of blood with severe head injuries, according to local residents. They mentioned that Belal, who had an intellectual disability, had been a repeated target for troublemakers whom he tried to discourage from engaging in criminal activities at the marketplace.
Both police and locals acknowledged Belal as a familiar figure at the market. He often served as an unofficial night watchman, accompanying the official guard and alerting others to deter burglaries and robberies, which were prevalent issues in the area. The incident is believed to have taken place either late Saturday night or in the early hours of the following day, as stated by Mujibur Rahman, the officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Model Police Station.
His body was found wrapped in a blanket on the market’s southern cemented floor by residents, who reported that he had been struck with wooden logs while sleeping, resulting in fatal head injuries. A local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, mentioned, “Belal was well-known to everyone here. He stayed overnight at the market and assisted in surveillance. We suspect he was targeted for trying to deter criminal activities.”
OC Mujibur Rahman stated, “Our preliminary assessment suggests that Belal was attacked while asleep. The body has been sent for further examination.” He also mentioned that the process of filing a case was in progress and efforts were being made to apprehend the perpetrators.