Police have arrested a man named Majnu Mia, accused of forcibly cutting the matted hair of an elderly man in Tarakanda upazila of Mymensingh. The arrest was made on Tuesday from Mymensingh Sadar area. Manju was a resident of Sadhupara village.
On 5 June, several people held down 70-year-old Halim Uddin Akanda and forcibly cut his long-matted hair and beard. The video quickly went viral on social media, where it garnered widespread condemnation.
According to locals, the victim Halim Uddin Akanda hails from Kodalia village under Tarakanda upazila. Widely known in the area as Halim Fakir, he is not mentally ill. For the past 37 years, he has lived the life of a fakir, refraining from cutting his hair or beard. He is a devotee of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) and Hazrat Shah Paran (R).
A video of this harassment went viral on social media, sparking outrage and condemnation across the country recently,. After this incident, Halim’s son Shahid Akanda filed a case with Tarakanda Police Station, naming seven individuals and five unidentified suspects.
Police said Majnu Mia was arrested in connection with that case, and drives are underway to apprehend the other accused.
