Killing of Lal Chand Sohag
 | This article is missing information about details. (July 2025) |
| Murder of Lal Chand Sohag | |
|---|---|
| Part of Bangladesh post-resignation violence (2024–present) and aftermath of the July Revolution | |
| Location | Mitford Hospital, Old Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Coordinates | 23°42′45″N 90°24′3.5″E / 23.71250°N 90.400972°E |
| Date | 9 July 2025; 0 years ago 6 pm (UTC+6) |
Attack type | Beating • Stoning to death |
| Weapons | Concrete boulder Locally made sharp weapons Pistol |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Victims | Lal Chand Sohag |
No. of participants | 4+ |
| Motive | business dispute and political conflict |
| Inquiry | DMP RAB |
| Accused | 8 arrested |
| Charges | Murder |
CCTV footage of the murder event gone viral on social media | |
On 9 July 2025, Mohammad Sohag, a 39-year-old scrap dealer also known as Lal Chand, was publicly stripped, hacked, stoned to death, and his corpse stomped on in front of Mitford Hospital in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh.[1][2] The graphic nature of the killing and its circulation on social media sparked widespread public outrage and ignited debates concerning the country’s political climate, social tensions, and law and order situation.[3][4]
Background
[edit]The victim, Sohag, was being extorted out of money from local Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal leaders.[5] The case received widespread traction after a video of the victim getting beaten up in front of hundreds of public was publicized on social media.[6] After the 2024 July Revolution, one of the largest political party of Bangladesh, BNP along with their party wings, had allegations of money extortion, and other post-resignation violence.[7]
Event
[edit]The incident took place on 9 July 2025 on the main road in front of Gate No. 3 of Mitford Hospital in Old Dhaka. According to eyewitnesses and video footage, an armed group dragged Sohag from his store and threw him on the road. Then, several people hit his body and head with heavy concrete boulders.[8][5] The beating continued after Sohag had died. No bystanders intervened during the beating.[9]
Initial police investigations suggested the beating was motivated by business disputes, extortion disputes, and past enmity.[10] According to local residents, Sohag had been involved in the scrap metal and old electrical cable business in Rajni Ghosh Lane in Old Dhaka for a long time. The dispute arose from competition for dominance in this business and the formation of syndicates.[2]
Investigation
[edit]As of July 15, eight suspects have been apprehended by Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Rapid Action Battalion and the Bangladesh Army.[6][11][12] In total, 19 people received an FIR. According to DB, the law enforcement unit is said to be working tirelessly to find and apprehend the rest of the perpetrators.[citation needed]
Many of those involved in the incident were identified as members of various political wings of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).[13] In particular, some leaders and activists of BNP-affiliated organizations Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal were identified in the video footage.[14] Immediately after this, these organizations expelled their four members for life.[15]
Public reaction
[edit]After the video of the killing was published online, netizens on Facebook began to share it across other social media. It rapidly gained traction three days after the killing. BNP was heavily criticized both online and offline for their alleged extortion and murder cases, and feared on what would happen if the party came to power after the next elections.[citation needed]
There were protests around different parts of the country, demanding justice for Sohag.[5]
Disinformation
[edit]News of the Sohagh killing was misrepresented in Indian media. Several Indian media outlets, including NDTV, Times of India, India TV, India Today, WION, News18, TV9, ABP, Bhaskar, and Zee News incorrectly identified the deceased as "Hindu."[16][17][18][19][20] However, an investigation conducted by Rumor Scanner disclosed the victim's religious affiliation as Islam.[21]
See also
[edit]- Murder of Saiful Islam Alif, similar incident in the aftermath of the July Revolution
- Murder of Biswajit Das, similar incident perpetrated by the Chhatra League activists
References
[edit]- ^ Saifuddin. "Old Dhaka daylight murder: What CCTV video shows". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ a b "Four arrested over Mitford trader killing, BNP expels five activists". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ "Man hammered to death with stone in Old Dhaka, 4 held -". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ "5 suspects in Sohag murder at Mitford held | News Flash". BSS. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ a b c Saifuddin. "Mitford murder: Five arrested over gruesome public killing". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ a b "Mitford murder: 2 more accused arrested". The Business Standard. 2025-07-13. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "BNP's Looting, Seizures, Extortion, and Killings: Comb Operation Announced to Crack Down". BDDiGEST. 2025-07-13. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "প্রকাশ্যে মাথা থেঁতলে হত্যা: চারজন গ্রেপ্তার, বহিষ্কার বিএনপির ৫ জন". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ নিউজ, সময়. "সজ্জন ও দানশীল মানুষ হিসেবে পরিচিতি ছিল সোহাগের, হত্যাকাণ্ডে শোকস্তব্ধ গ্রামবাসী | বাংলাদেশ". Somoy News (in Bengali). Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ "ব্যবসায়িক দ্বন্দ্বেই সোহাগ হত্যাকাণ্ড, চাঁদাবাজির তথ্য মেলেনি: ডিএমপি". এখন টিভি (in Bengali). 2025-07-12. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ SAMAKAL. "মিটফোর্ডে সোহাগ হত্যা মামলার অন্যতম আসামি নান্নু গ্রেপ্তার". মিটফোর্ডে সোহাগ হত্যা মামলার অন্যতম আসামি নান্নু গ্রেপ্তার. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ "Another arrested in Mitford Sohag murder case". The Business Standard. 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ প্রতিনিধি, বিশেষ (2025-07-12). "যুবদল, ছাত্রদল ও স্বেচ্ছাসেবক দলের চারজনকে বহিষ্কার". Prothomalo (in Bengali). Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ প্রতিবেদক, নিজস্ব (2025-07-12). "সিসিটিভি ফুটেজ সংগ্রহ করেছে পুলিশ, ইতিমধ্যে চারজনকে গ্রেপ্তার". Prothomalo (in Bengali). Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ SAMAKAL. "যুবদলের ২ নেতা আজীবন বহিষ্কার". যুবদলের ২ নেতা আজীবন বহিষ্কার. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ "बांग्लादेश में हिंदू व्यापारी की पत्थरों से पीट-पीट कर हत्या:कपड़े उतारे, शरीर पर कूदे-नाचे, पांच हमलावर गिरफ्तार" [Hindu trader stoned to death in Bangladesh: Stripped, attackers jumped and danced on the body; five attackers arrested]. Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 2025-07-13. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ Navashree, Nandini (2025-07-13). "Students protest in Bangladesh over killing of scrap trader by mob; accused allegedly dance over the body - Here's what happened". WION. Archived from the original on 2025-07-13. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "Hindu trader beaten to death with concrete slabs in Bangladesh; attackers dance on body". India Today. 2025-07-13. Archived from the original on 2025-07-13. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "Hindu Trader Lynched In Bangladesh, Attackers Dance On His Body". NDTV. 2025-07-13. Archived from the original on 2025-07-13. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Chatterjee, Ipsa (2025-07-14). "Bangladesh: নৃশংসতার সব সীমা পার, বাংলাদেশে পিটিয়ে-থেঁতলে খুন হিন্দু ব্যবসায়ীকে, মৃতদেহের উপরে নাচল খুনিরা" [Bangladesh: Hindu businessman brutally beaten to death, attackers danced on the corpse]. TV9 Bangla (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2025-07-14. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "Sohag, Killed in Mitford, Misrepresented as Hindu in Indian Media". Rumor Scanner Bangladesh. 2025-07-14. Retrieved 2025-07-15.