The way Deepu was killed, even animals aren’t treated like that; the brother’s pain was evident

Late on the night of December 18, when a colleague called Apu Chandra Das from Bangladesh to tell him that his older brother had been taken away by a mob, 22-year-old Apu didn’t immediately understand. He asked, “Taken where?” But by the time he learned the full story, 28-year-old Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das had been beaten to death. A video of his burning body went viral on social media. Dipu was a garment factory worker. He left behind his wife, a one-year-old child, and a family of eight. He was the sole breadwinner. Speaking to Apu over the phone from Mymensingh, Bangladesh, he said, “What happened to my brother is beyond comprehension. The way a violent mob of about 140 people attacked my brother, even animals aren’t treated like that.”

Dipu did not commit blasphemy
Four days have passed since the murder. Police have made arrests. The country’s elite anti-terrorism agency, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), said they found no evidence to support the accusation that Dipu had posted any blasphemous material online, the rumor that sparked the attack. Despite this, Dipu’s family has found no relief, no peace. But more than anything, they are terrified.

Worked in a garment factory
Dipu worked at a garment factory called Pioneer Knitwears (BD) Limited in the Bhaluka area of ​​Mymensingh. Around 9 pm on December 18, a mob arrived at the factory. Apu was told that they dragged Dipu outside and beat him with bamboo sticks, fists, and kicks until he died. His body was then taken to Jamirdia Chowk on the roadside, where it was hung from a tree and set on fire in front of everyone.

Family not allowed to see the body
Police arrived later, by which time the crowd had gathered around the burning body. Apu said they had to disperse the crowd to retrieve it. The body was taken to the hospital morgue and handed over to the family the next day, who then filed a complaint. But even then, the family says, they were not treated with respect. Appu said that some people did not allow the family to see his brother for one last time before the funeral. We were forced to take the body directly to the crematorium for the last rites. My elderly parents are completely devastated.

The mob accused Deepu of insulting Islam in a social media post. Appu said that his brother could not have done such a thing. Appu said that Deepu would never post anything offensive. He always respected all religions.

RAB investigation findings
Now, the RAB (Rapid Action Battalion), which is investigating the case, is also supporting this claim. A senior RAB official confirmed that no evidence of any such post by Deepu on social media has been found. The agency is also investigating the possibility that misinformation was deliberately spread to incite communal violence. So far, 12 people have been arrested.

The arrested accused were produced before a local court on Monday, which granted the police a three-day remand for questioning. Officials said that more arrests are likely as digital evidence is being analyzed. The network behind the false content is being traced.

Appu is a daily wage laborer
Appu himself works as a daily wage laborer. He has no fixed income. He filed a formal complaint in this case at the Bhaluka Model Police Station on December 19, the day after the violence. He said that the authorities have assured him that justice will be served, but he believes that the violence and the subsequent silence of many people in their community have shaken him.

Appu said, “After what we have seen, the ease with which a mob can do something like this, how can we believe that we will get justice? We don’t even know how to live anymore. The entire incident has shaken our family to its core.”