Youth drowns in canal while fleeing police anti-drug drive in Bangladesh

A 19-year-old student has allegedly died by drowning after falling into a canal while trying to evade a police anti-drug operation in Netrokona, Bangladesh. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon.

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The deceased was identified as Sabbir Shekh, 19, a student of Abu Abbas Degree College and a resident of the Mechhuabazar area in Netrokona town.

The deceased, identified as Sabbir Shekh, was a student at Abu Abbas Degree College. According to police, a nine-member Detective Branch team was conducting an anti-drug drive on the Netrokona-Amtala road. Upon spotting the police, Sabbir and several other youths attempted to flee by jumping into the nearby Harikhali canal. While the others managed to swim to safety, Sabbir drowned.

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While the others swam ashore, Sabbir drowned, he said.

Locals rescued Sabbir from the canal, and police then transported him to Netrokona 250-bed District Hospital. The resident medical officer declared him dead after an ECG examination, noting that the final cause of death would be determined by an autopsy report.

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The exact cause of death will be known after the autopsy report.

Sabbir’s sister, Purnima Akter, contested the circumstances, claiming her brother could not swim and was not involved in any criminal activities or cases. She has called for an impartial investigation into the incident. However, DB Inspector Debanshu Kumar Deb stated that based on the available information, he did not believe police negligence played a role.

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Sabbir’s sister, Purnima Akter, claimed Sabbir did not know how to swim and was neither accused in any criminal case nor involved in criminal activities. She demanded an impartial investigation.