Medieval torture in village arbitration

A youth was forced to prostate on the ground for 15 yards as a punishment for allegedly stealing a mobile phone in Narail. The village arbitrators also beat the youth named Shipon and asked him to pay Tk 250,000 as fine.

The incident of this medieval torture took place in Rukhali village of Bichali union parishad under Narail Sadar upazil on Saturday evening. Although there were two police camps located in the union, such an arbitration took place, which drew flak from the local people.

Police on Sunday night arrested five people in this connection.

Locals said village arbitrators named Shailendranath Gama, Gama Biswas, Biswa Biswas, Mrittunjay Biswas and Subuddhi Majumder had conducted the arbitration in presence of union parishad member Md Hafizur Rahman.

Witnesses seeking anonymity said a feature mobile phone and 1800 Indian rupees were stolen from the residence of some Shailendranath Sikder on Wednesday night.

Assuming that Shipon Roy were the stealer, the arbitrators handed him the punishment and asked him to pay the fine within 21 July. They also threatened to drive Shipon out of the village and sell his cattle and home if he fails to pay the fine within the stipulated time.

Locals said Shipon is a farmer but he is financially solvent. He even has a motorbike of his own. It is just village politics, they alleged.

Union parishad member Hafizur Rahman claimed that he had requested the arbitrators to hand Shipon over to the police.

"They didn't pay any heed to my request and asked me to leave the scene. Then I left," he added.

Shailendra Shikder could not be reached as his mobile was switched off.

Officer-in-charge of Sadar police station Md Anwar Hossain said five had been arrested on Sunday night in this connection.