A man was allegedly beaten to death by a group of people on suspicion of theft in Chandina upazila of Cumilla on Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Arif Hossain, 40, son of Ali Mia of Harikhola Majar Bari in Kerankhal union. He was a tractor driver by profession.

Arif was taken to Chandina Upazila Health Complex around 2:30pm on Tuesday, where the duty doctor declared him dead.

According to locals, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw belonging to a man from Kurain village in neighbouring Debidwar upazila was stolen recently. In connection with the theft, locals detained a man named Shakil as a suspect.

Based on information allegedly provided by Shakil, locals picked up Arif from Harikhola on Monday night.

He was reportedly taken to different places and beaten throughout the night before being brought back to Harikhola in the morning. Later, in the presence of a large number of people, residents of Kurain village allegedly took him away again.

Around 2:30pm, several people brought Arif to Chandina Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead.

Arif's father Ali Mia said the attackers took his only son away and beat him to death.

“I want justice for my son,” he said.

Shamim Hossain, a ward member of Kerankhal Union Parishad, said that even if Arif had been involved in stealing the CNG auto-rickshaw, the matter should have been reported to his family or respected people in the area.

“Creating a mob and beating a person to death after taking him away cannot be accepted under any circumstances,” he said.

The identities of those involved in the incident or the attackers could not immediately be established.

Chandina Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Nuruzzaman said he immediately went to the hospital after receiving a phone call from the authorities there.

“The people involved in the incident will be identified through investigation and legal action will be taken,” he said.