13-year-old boy tortured, one held

Police on Tuesday arrested a man for allegedly torturing a cowboy at Monipara village under Rangabali upazila in the district.

The arrestee is Abdul Wadud Mollik, 45, of Tungibaria village under the upazila, while the victim was identified as Sajib, 13, son of Khalil sarder of Nayabhanguni village in the upazila.

Md Monir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Rangabali Police Station, said Abbas Chowdhury, the employer of the cowboy, filed a case with the police station at around 9:00pm on Tuesday accusing Wadud Mollik.

Police arrested Wadud from his house and sent him to the court, which sent him to jail yesterday, the OC said.

The victim also gave a statement to the court at about 11:00am on the day. Judicial Magistrate Md Shihabul Islam recorded his statement under Section 164, the OC added.

Police and family sources said Sajib worked as cowboy at Abbas Chowdhury's house. On Monday, Sajib and some boys were playing in a nearby field when a buffalo attacked Abbas Chowdhury's son Riam, 3. Sajib chased the buffalo away by hitting it with a stick.

Seeing this, Wadud started beating up Sajib with a stick after tying a gamchha around his neck

Seeing the incident, Jeba Begum, a housewife, went to the spot and tried to save Sajib, who had become senseless. But Wadud started hitting the woman also.

Sajib was rescued by his relatives and Abbas Chowdhury. As Sajib regained consciousness when they were taking him in a trawler to Galachipa upazila town for treatment, they returned home.

Abdul Jalil, brother of Wadud, said they arranged treatment locally.

When contacted, Wadud Mollik said he only slapped the boy.