A youth was beaten to death in Jhenaidah town during a heated argument over fuel at a petrol pump in the Arappur area on Saturday night.

The victim was identified as Nirob, son of Alimur Rahman of Badurgacha village in the Barobazar area of Kaliganj upazila. He lived near his foster father Abul Kashem in Beparipara of Jhenaidah municipality and ran a fast-food shop in front of the Government Boys’ High School.

Police have detained three people for questioning.

They are Nasim Hossain, son of Nasir Uddin, Romijul Islam, Son of Yunus Ali, and Daud, son of Safiar.

Mahfuzur Rahman, additional SP of Jhenaidah (Sadar Circle), said the detainees will be shown arrested once a case is filed.

Eyewitnesses said Nirob and a companion went to Taj Filling Station on Saturday night to get fuel for their motorcycle. At that time, the pump workers reportedly said they were unable to supply fuel. Later, when they returned, they saw another person being given fuel in a five-litre bottle. When they asked about the matter, an argument broke out with the pump workers.

At one stage, a scuffle erupted between the two sides. Nirob was seriously injured after being struck with a stick by a pump worker and fell to the ground. He was later rescued and taken to the Jhenaidah 250-bed General Hospital, where the doctor on duty declared him dead.

Nirob’s foster father, Abul Kashem, alleged that the pump workers attacked him because he protested against them filling bottles with fuel instead of supplying his motorcycle.

Dr Sumon, a physician at the Jhenaidah 250-bed General Hospital, said Nirob died due to excessive bleeding after being brought to the hospital in a critically injured condition.

Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shamsul Arefin said further legal action is underway in this regard.