Two people died on the spot in a mass beating while allegedly fleeing after stealing an autorickshaw in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur district. The incident took place at around 5:30 AM on Sunday (October 25) near the large irrigation canal in the Uttar Panapukur Giriyarpar area of Barabil union.
The deceased were identified as Rezaul alias Kana, 42, of Bagdahra area under Nohali union and Sadikul Islam, 32, of Kolkond union. Local residents accused them of stealing the autorickshaw.
The owner of the stolen autorickshaw is Siddiqur Rahman Sohel, a resident of the Bagpur Dakshinpara area in Barabil union and the son of Matin Mia, a former Union Parishad (UP) member.
According to eyewitnesses and local sources, worshippers were performing the Fajr prayer at the mosque in front of Sohel's house early in the morning. At that time, Sohel shouted that his autorickshaw was being stolen. Several worshippers left their prayers and chased the suspected thieves. Failing to intercept them immediately, an announcement regarding the autorickshaw theft was made through the mosque’s loudspeaker.
Subsequently, local residents chased them from various directions. According to locals' claims, the two individuals left the autorickshaw about half a kilometer away from the scene and attempted to escape through a paddy field. While trying to flee, local residents chased them for about a kilometer and surrounded them from all sides. At that point, a beating by the gathered crowd resulted in the deaths of both individuals on the spot.
Abdus Sobur, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gangachara Model Police Station, stated that upon receiving the information, police promptly arrived at the scene and brought the bodies to the police station to take necessary legal action.