Minor beaten dead for plucking flower

This was no April Fool prank for tiny Shanto Molla. On Saturday, the minor first-grade schoolboy succumbed to his injuries sustained on April 1 when he was tortured for plucking flowers in Chandpur district. Chandpur General Hospital physician Md Anwar Hossain said Shanto died on Saturday evening. Shanto, the son of vegetable vendor Shukur Molla and housewife Seema Begum, was a student of Chandpur Government Primary School. His parents and witnesses said one Alam Gazi beat up Shanto severely on Apr 1 when he was plucking flowers from a garden in his school. They say Alam flung Shanto against the wall at one stage, leaving him critically injured with a broken left leg. Witnesses ‘Siam’ and Kamrunnahar said Shanto climbed on a China rose tree at around 8:30am on Apr 1 to pluck flowers. Then Alam forced him down and thrashed him, they said. Shanto was taken to a quack and a local hospital before being admitted to Chandpur General Hospital on Friday afternoon. But his condition did not improve. He succumbed to his injuries around 6:45pm yesterday. Chandpur Government Primary School Headmaster Kabir Patwari said the incident was truly unfortunate, a case of over-reaction. Shanto’s mother said she wants justice. Chandpur Model Police Station OC Abdul Quayum said the accused has not yet been arrested, but a case was being filed, according to bdnews24.com.