<i>Embittered villagers' lesson for a thief</i>

8 October 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Nilphamari

Hundreds of people of Dangarhat village in Dimla upazila on Wednesday attacked and demolished the house of a thief who had turned a nuisance to villagers through rampant stealing and hemp trade. The notorious thief, Fazlu, 42, became a nuisance as he was involved in stealing corrugated iron sheet of local primary school, farmers' shallow pump machines and cattle, villagers' household goods, even ducks and chickens, villagers said. Fazlu also ran hemp trade, adding to deterioration of social environment in the village. Villagers said earlier on several occasions they asked Fazlu not to disturb their peace but to no effect. There were several cases against the thief in Dimla Police Station but the thief so far escaped any major action. When contacted, Balapara union parishad Chairman Tabibur Rahman said, "I had forbidden the villagers to do such act but they did not listen." Dimla Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shawkat Hossain said, "I have heard the incident. If owner of the demolished house comes to file a case, it will be recorded."