Youth dies in police custody in Chakaria, authorities claim suicide

A 27-year-old man died in police custody at Chakaria Police Station early Friday, with police claiming he took his own life inside the detention cell.

The deceased was identified as Durjoy Chowdhury, son of Kamal Chowdhury of Hindu Para in Ward-4 of Chakaria Municipality. He was employed as a computer operator at Chakaria Government High School.

According to police, Durjoy was handed over to them around 9 PM on Thursday by teachers of his workplace. He was taken into custody at 11 PM in connection with a case filed by the school’s acting headmistress, accusing him of embezzlement and fraud involving Tk 283,000.

“Although the exact moment of suicide was not directly captured, CCTV footage from the station shows Durjoy’s movements and activities prior to the incident,” said Abhijit Das, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Chakaria Circle. He added that the body was sent to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue at around 10 AM for an autopsy.

Family members, who gathered outside the morgue, expressed doubts about the police version of events. They said Durjoy had suffered a minor stroke about a week earlier and questioned whether he was subjected to pressure while in custody.

Durjoy’s cousin, Sanjib, told reporters: “When we rushed to the station after receiving a call, police told us he had committed suicide. We later saw him hanging with a shirt tied around his neck. We don’t know what actually happened inside the cell.”

In response to growing concerns, Cox’s Bazar district police spokesperson and Additional Superintendent of Police, Jasim Uddin Chowdhury, confirmed that an inquiry has been launched.

“Following directives from the Superintendent of Police, a probe committee has been formed to investigate the incident. An executive magistrate has already conducted an inquest. The investigation and post-mortem report will reveal the actual cause of death,” he said.