A long-running dispute over one and a half bighas of land turned deadly in Pabna’s Sujanagar, as a 70-year-old farmer died after being allegedly beaten by his cousins and nephews.
The deceased, Lokman Sardar, was attacked around 11am on 24 January at Aminpur. After receiving treatment at several hospitals, he died on Monday evening (16 February) while undergoing treatment at Dhaka’s PG Hospital. Following news of his death, the accused fled the area.
Officer-in-Charge of Aminpur Police Station Mahabur Rahman confirmed the matter on Wednesday morning.
Lokman Sardar was the son of the late Nasir Uddin Sardar of Gobindapur village under Sagorkandi Union in Aminpur, Sujanagar.
The main accused, his cousin Korban Sardar, is also a resident of the same village.
Police said Lokman’s brother, Ramzan Sardar, filed a case at Aminpur Police Station on 26 January, naming eight accused. The case, numbered 16, was initially filed over assault but will now be converted into a murder case following the victim’s death.
According to the case statement, Lokman had cultivated barley on one and a half bighas of land at Hogladanga Char. Recently, his cousin Korban Ali Sardar and his sons claimed ownership of the land, leading to a dispute.
On 24 January, Korban Sardar, along with his sons Rafiqul and Shafiqul and other relatives, allegedly went to occupy the land with hired attackers and local weapons. They destroyed the entire crop using a power tiller.
When Lokman and his son Sajib tried to resist, the attackers allegedly beat them indiscriminately. Relatives rescued the injured and first admitted them to a private hospital in Kashinathpur.
As Lokman’s condition deteriorated, he was shifted to Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College Hospital in Enayetpur.
Doctors later referred him to Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) Hospital for advanced treatment. He died there while undergoing treatment in the ICU on Monday evening.
After his death, the accused Korban Sardar, his sons and other relatives left the area. Attempts to contact them at their homes failed, and their mobile phones were found switched off.
Ramzan Sardar claimed that their family had been enjoying possession of the land through inheritance for the past 50 years. He alleged that Korban’s family had never claimed the land before and recently attempted to grab it by hiring attackers. He demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment for those responsible for his brother’s death.
OC Mahabur Rahman said the earlier assault case would be converted into a murder case. He added that the accused are currently on bail, making immediate arrest difficult.
Police have applied for cancellation of their bail. Further legal action will be taken after receiving the post-mortem report.
