Journalist hacked to death in front of home in Mymensingh
A journalist has been hacked to death right in front of his house in the Sadar upazila of Mymensingh. The incident occurred in Tanpara area of Majhipara in Shambhuganj of the upazila around 11:00 am today, Saturday.
The deceased Swapan Kumar Bhadra, 65, was the vice-president of Tarakanda Press Club. Earlier, he used to work as the Tarakanda upazila correspondent for Daily Swajan newspaper published from Mymensingh. He wasn’t working in any media house at the moment.
However, he used to write regularly about different incidents and issues regarding his area on social media, Facebook. Swapan Kumar Bhadra has two sons and a daughter. His younger son is posted in the army.
Family members of the deceased allege that Swapan Kumar Bhadra was murdered in connection to his writings.
About a year ago, there had been also another attack on him. Based on their accusation, the police have detained a youth named Sagar Mia, 18, in the afternoon today. Sagar is the son of Babul Mia from Majhipara village in the upazila.
Nephew of the deceased, Jewel Bhadra said his uncle (Swapan Bhadra) was sitting in front of his house around 11:00 am this morning. At the time he was struck haphazardly with a sharp blade on the head. And, his left wrist was amputated from his arm.
Then local people came to his help hearing his aunt (Sabita Dhar) screaming. Later, when he was taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital after being rescued in a bloodied condition, the physician in-charge there declared him dead.
Going to the morgue of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital around 2:30 pm this afternoon, a crowd of people was found in front of the morgue.
Sub-inspector (SI) of Kotwali Model Police Station, Abul Kashem was preparing the inquest report of Swapan Bhadra’s body there. He told Prothom Alo that there were six cuts on the shoulder. His left wrist was dissected from the arm. Plus there are other cuts on the body.
Another nephew of deceased Swapan Bhadra, Manik Sarker said, “My uncle has been murdered because of writing posts against narcotics on Facebook. The killers were angry at him for this. That’s why his wrist has been severed.”
Officer-in-charge of Mymensingh Kotwali police station, Shafiqul Islam Khan said that the detainee Sagar is familiar as a vagabond and drug addict in the locality. Also, there are allegations of attacking people with knives at different times against him.
Superintendent of police in Mymensingh, Azizul Islam visited the scene of the incident this afternoon. He told Prothom Alo that the detainee Sagar is a vagabond and criminal. It could be confirmed that he is the killer.
Swapan Bhadra protested against Sagar’s activities even before. Sagar had hit Swapan on his wrist once. The matter is being investigated. The details would be disclosed later officially, he added.