A 43-year-old salon owner was allegedly stabbed to death following a dispute over unpaid haircut bills in Mymensingh district.
Days after a Hindu schoolteacher was allegedly beaten to death during a land dispute, another Hindu man has been killed in Bangladesh, raising fresh concerns over a series of violent incidents involving members of the minority community. A 43-year-old salon owner was allegedly stabbed to death following a dispute over unpaid haircut bills in Mymensingh district.
Police have arrested a 28-year-old suspect in connection with the killing.
The victim, identified as Rabindra Rishi, owned the Apurba Hair Cutting salon at Muktijoddha Market in Bhaluka. According to Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo, Rishi suffered at least 10 stab wounds to his throat, larynx, chest, back and hands. The fatal attack reportedly took place in the Jamirdia area of Bhaluka upazila on Tuesday evening.
The accused, Saddam Hossain, allegedly attacked Rishi with a sharp weapon after an argument over unpaid bills and the salon owner’s refusal to provide haircuts on credit, local media reports said.
Accused allegedly threatened salon owner days before killing
Rishi’s wife, Suchitra Rani Rishi, told local media that Hossain frequently took money from her husband for drugs and repeatedly failed to pay for haircuts. She said the two had clashed over the outstanding payments and alleged that Hossain had threatened to kill her husband just days before the fatal assault.
According to the murder complaint filed by Rishi’s mother, Sulak Rani Rishi, at Bhaluka Model Police Station, the attack unfolded at around 5.30 pm local time. Rishi was sitting inside his salon and speaking with his brother, Manik Rishi, when Hossain allegedly entered carrying a sharp knife and repeatedly stabbed him in the neck.
The complaint describes a desperate attempt by Rishi to escape the assault. After being attacked inside the salon, he reportedly fled to a nearby shop, where the accused allegedly stabbed him in the chest. Rishi then ran to the courtyard of a neighbouring house in search of refuge.
However, the complaint alleges that Hossain pursued him, knocked him to the ground and continued the attack, stabbing him in the chest, back and hand. Rishi succumbed to his injuries.
Accused sent to jail, remand hearing scheduled
Following his arrest, Hossain was produced before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody. The court scheduled November 1 for a hearing on the police request seeking five days of remand to interrogate the accused.
The investigation into the killing is ongoing.
Killing follows death of Hindu schoolteacher in land dispute
Rishi’s killing comes just days after another Hindu man, 55-year-old schoolteacher Manoranjan Roy, was reportedly beaten to death during an arbitration meeting over a land dispute in Bangladesh’s Dinajpur district.
According to police, Roy had attempted to mediate between the disputing parties and defuse tensions before he was killed.
The two incidents, reported within days of each other, have drawn attention to the recent killings of Hindu men in Bangladesh. However, authorities have not established any link between the two cases, and the motive behind Rishi’s killing remains under investigation.