OUR CORRESPONDENT, Shariatpur

A Swechhasebak League leader was beaten to death allegedly by a gang of drug peddlers at Shariatpur’s Naria municipality on Wednesday night.

The deceased was identified as Mamun Khan, 32, former publicity secretary of the municipal unit of Swechhasebak League, said police.

The victim’s elder brother Kuddus Khan filed a murder case with Naria Police Station, accusing 16 people, the police station’s OC Mahbub Alam said. The prime accused, Mokhles Bepari, was arrested yesterday, he added.

The victim’s family members said Mamun used to speak against some local goons, led by Mokhles Bepari, who sell drugs in the area.

Around 7:00pm on Wednesday, when Mamun was going to Naria Bazar, a gang of 15 to 20 people attacked him and hit him in the head with a rod and hammer, alleged the victim’s uncle Anwar Mallick, also a ward councillor of the municipality.

Mamun was taken to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital where on-duty doctor declared him dead around 9:00pm, said Anwar and police.

Tofail Ahmed, a doctor at the hospital, said, “We found that he was hit by a blunt object. We will be able to know details after receiving autopsy report.”