Torture and public humiliation over theft accusation, teenager commits suicide in shame

A 14-year-old girl has allegedly committed suicide after being tortured and publicly humiliated following an accusation of stealing Tk 120 in Chatmohar upazila, Pabna. The incident occurred on Friday, May 9, in the Chinabhatkur village of Nimaichara union.

The deceased, Srabanti Khatun, was the daughter of day labourer Altab Hossain. Police have recovered her body and detained a man named Hannan Molla from the same village in connection with the incident.

According to locals and the family, Srabanti had been working as a domestic help at Hannan Molla's house for about a year. On Friday morning, when Tk 120 went missing from an almirah drawer, suspicion fell on Srabanti. Hannan Molla and his wife, Rubia Khatun, allegedly tied the teenager to a pillar on the veranda and beat her, attempting to force a confession.

The family claimed the torture continued for about two hours, with several locals recording the incident on their mobile phones. Mentally broken by the public humiliation and torture, Srabanti returned home and allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from a beam. Her parents were not at home at the time and discovered her body upon returning.

Srabanti's uncle, Sifat Hossain, said that if she had made a mistake, her parents should have been informed. The public humiliation she endured drove her to suicide, he alleged.

Police have detained Hannan Molla. The body has been sent for autopsy, and preparations for filing a case are underway.