A 40-year-old grocer was hacked to death in Rajshahi city early Sunday after miscreants allegedly attacked his shop with petrol bombs following a dispute over changing small amounts of money.
The incident took place around 1:45am in the Bakir Mor area under Rajpara Police Station.
The deceased was identified as Abdul Bari, son of Badrul Sarkar of the area. He ran a grocery shop in front of his house.
According to Bari’s family and police, the incident stemmed from an altercation earlier on Saturday evening when several youths from Chandipur area went to his shop to get money changed. An argument broke out after Bari said he could not provide the change, which later turned into a physical confrontation between the two sides.
Family members alleged that around 1:45am, a group of 50 to 55 people armed with local weapons and petrol bombs gathered in front of Bari’s house. Police said they were investigating the allegations.
The attackers allegedly broke the lock of the shop shutter, threw petrol bombs inside and set the shop on fire.
Hearing the commotion, Bari and his family members came out of the house. The attackers then surrounded Bari and hacked him with sharp weapons, leaving him critically injured before fleeing the scene.
Family members rescued him and took him to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Police visited the spot after receiving the information, but no one had been detained in connection with the incident as of Sunday noon.
Rajpara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abul Kalam Azad said Bari’s body was kept at the RMCH morgue for an autopsy and would be handed over to his family after the post-mortem examination.
He said preparations were underway to file a case and police would take steps to arrest those involved after receiving the formal complaint.
