Student's death sparks vandalism at Bangladesh school

An institution in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur, Bangladesh, has been shut for seven days following the death of a 14-year-old resident student and subsequent vandalism. Mehedi Hasan, an eighth-grader at Farid Ahmed Bhuiyan Academy, was allegedly beaten and strangled by a group of senior students who accused him of stealing an iPhone.

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Just before Maghrib prayers, we recovered Mehedi and rushed him to Chatkhil Upazila Health Complex, where the attending doctor declared him dead.

According to a residential lecturer, the incident occurred when Mehedi was called to a room by nine senior students, including the owner of the missing iPhone, around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. They allegedly assaulted him to extract a confession. The lecturer claimed the accused students later hung Mehedi's body from a window grille with a muffler to disguise the circumstances of his death.

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The academy authorities informed police that senior students had allegedly assaulted Mehedi over the reported theft of a mobile phone.

Mehedi was rushed to the Chatkhil Upazila Health Complex, where he was declared dead. The suspected students fled the dormitory shortly after. Police found physical assault marks on the body, including injuries around the neck. The exact cause of death awaits the post-mortem report.

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However, police found marks of physical assault on the student's body as well as injury marks around his neck. The exact cause of death will be known after we receive the post-mortem report.

News of the death triggered a strong reaction, with hundreds of guardians and local residents gathering outside the academy. Around 11 p.m., a large crowd entered the premises, vandalizing property and setting fire to vehicles. The lecturer estimated the damage to be worth several crore taka. Additional police were deployed to control the situation, which was brought under control by 2 a.m.

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In view of the...