Businessman Khokon Chandra, hacked and set on fire in Shariatpur, died
Khokon Chandra Das, a businessman from Damudya upazila in Shariatpur, has died. He passed away around 7:30 am yesterday, Saturday while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.
Around 9:30 pm last Wednesday, Khokon was hacked and injured in the Tiloi area of Damudya. The assailants then poured a petrol-like substance over him and set him on fire.
Local residents rescued him and took him to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital that night. After receiving initial treatment there, he was transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
Khokon Chandra ran a pharmacy at Keurbhanga Bazar in the upazila and was also involved in agent banking.
The deceased’s nephew-in-law, Pranto Das said Khokon Chandra had been receiving treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery since late Thursday night. His physical condition suddenly deteriorated early on Saturday morning and he died in the ICU around 7:30 am.
Pranto Das had added, “We are currently at Shahbagh Police Station to complete the legal formalities. After the legal process and post-mortem examination, we will take the body back to the village. He will be buried at his village today (Saturday).”
Bidhan Sarker, head of the burn unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, told Prothom Alo over the phone that a patient named Khokon Chandra Das had been receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College.
About 30 per cent of his body was burned, so he was referred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for advanced treatment. He died there Saturday morning while undergoing treatment, added the physician.
Earlier, while he was still alive, Khokon had named two people allegedly involved in the attack. They are Sohag Khan, 27, son of Babul Khan, and Rabbi Mollia, 21, son of Shamsuddin Mollia from Kaneshwar area. During preliminary investigations, police identified another alleged participant in the attack named Palash Sardar, 25, son of local resident Shahid Sardar.
Following the incident, traders of Keurnhanga Bazar and residents of Tiloi village became agitated and demanded the arrest and punishment of those accused.
A case was filed at the police station late Thursday night in connection with the incident. Khokon Das’s father, Paresh Chandra Das, filed the case, naming the three young men as accused.
Damudya Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Mohammad Rabiul Haque said, “We have received information that Khokon Chandra Das, a businessman from Keurbhanga Bazar, has died while undergoing treatment in Dhaka.”
“We are in contact with Shahbagh Police Station. After the post-mortem there, the body will be handed over to the family. Police are also making efforts to arrest the accused named in the case,” he added.