Prince Mondal Olif, Bagerhat District Correspondent

A brutal murder took place in Chitalmari Upazila after a dispute over the expiry date of a mango juice. The victim, Mojahid Molla (40), was hacked to death in broad daylight on Tuesday (April 7) between 7:00 am and 7:30 am near the central mosque beside Hijla Bazar under Hijla Union.

The deceased Mojahid Molla was the son of late Chhoro Molla of Hijla village. Police have detained the accused, Bayezid Ejaradar (35), son of Badsha Ejaradar from the same area.

According to local sources and eyewitnesses, Mojahid Molla was sitting at his shop as usual in the morning when Bayezid came there and bought a mango juice. Shortly afterward, Bayezid claimed that the juice had expired and was unsafe to drink. An argument then broke out between the two in front of the shop.

At one stage, Bayezid reportedly asked Mojahid to drink the juice himself to prove it was safe. Believing the matter to be normal, Mojahid took the juice in his hand and started drinking it. At that very moment, the accused allegedly attacked him with a sharp sickle, targeting his throat. Witnesses said the first blow severely slit most of his throat.

The attacker then struck him a second time, leaving deep injuries on the side of his face. The sudden attack created panic and chaos in the market area, as people nearby were left shocked by the horrifying incident.

Momin Molla, nephew of the deceased who was present at the scene, said, “We never imagined he would attack like this. Seeing the sickle in his hand, we thought he was going to work in the field. Nobody could understand what he was planning.”

Locals immediately rescued Mojahid Molla and rushed him toward Chitalmari Upazila Health Complex on a local van. His nephew Momin held him on his lap on the way to the hospital. However, Mojahid died before reaching the hospital. Doctors on duty later declared him dead.

Following the incident, angry locals caught the accused and beat him before police arrived. Police later rescued Bayezid Ejaradar and admitted him to the Upazila Health Complex under custody.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazrul Islam said police rushed to the spot immediately after receiving the information. He added that the accused has been detained and legal procedures are underway.

The shocking murder has created fear and tension across the locality. As of filing this report, no formal case had been filed, though preparations for a murder case were ongoing, according to police sources.