Dhaka: A youth was allegedly beaten to death by a neighbour in the capital’s Jatrabari area on Monday evening. The deceased was identified as Rifat Mridha, 18, a resident of Khan Bari intersection in Rayerbagh under Jatrabari Police Station.

According to United News of Bangladesh, the incident occurred in front of Rifat’s house around Monday evening. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition, where doctors declared him dead around 9:30 pm. Rifat, son of Hashem Mridha, hailed from Chanpura village in Dashmina upazila of Patuakhali. He worked at a carton factory and lived with his family in Rayerbagh.

Rifat’s father recounted that his son was sitting on the road in front of their house when a neighbour named Shakil approached him. Shakil questioned Rifat about his presence there and whether he intended to smoke marijuana. Rifat denied the accusation, indicating that it was Shakil who partook in such activities. This exchange reportedly escalated, leading Shakil to verbally abuse and physically assault Rifat.

Initially, the confrontation seemed resolved, but Shakil returned later to further assault Rifat with punches, kicks, and blows. This second attack resulted in Rifat losing consciousness, after which Shakil fled the scene. Family members rushed Rifat to a local hospital, but as his condition worsened, he was transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Hashem claimed that Shakil and his mother, who lived in a rented house nearby, locked their residence and fled following the incident. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police outpost, stated that the body has been kept at the hospital morgue, and the incident has been reported to the concerned police station.