Van driver found with throat slit in Khulna

A van driver was brutally killed after having his throat slit in Khulna's Dighalia upazila on Saturday night (July 5), with police suspecting the attackers posed as passengers before carrying out the murder.

The deceased, Samir Bhatta, 40, son of Robin Bhatta from Ketla village in Gazirhat Union, was found critically injured on Molladanga Road in the Gazirhat area around 9:00pm. He later died at the scene despite rescue efforts by local residents.

According to police, Samir was transporting several passengers towards Barasat when the assailants, believed to have boarded the van as passengers, attacked him with a sharp weapon, slit his throat and left him on the roadside before fleeing.

Locals rushed to the scene after hearing his cries for help and found him lying in a pool of blood. However, he succumbed to his injuries before he could receive medical treatment.

Md Shah Alam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Dighalia Police Station, said, "The body has been recovered after receiving information from local residents and sent it to Khulna Medical College Hospital for an autopsy."

Police also recovered the victim's van a short distance from the crime scene.

"We suspect the attackers attempted to flee with the van after killing him but abandoned it nearby. The motive appears to be robbery, though all possible angles are being investigated," the OC said.

Police have launched an investigation to identify and arrest those involved in the killing.