Dhaka, Sep 21: Amid escalating violence against children in Bangladesh, as many as 155 children were killed between January and August this year in incidents involving murder following disappearance, rape, physical abuse and other forms of violence across the country, local media reported, citing a human rights organisation.

Dhaka-based rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) said the bodies of 36 children reported missing were recovered during the first eight months of this year, while 68 children died due to physical abuse and 49 in incidents of family-related violence. Another 26 children, including two boys, were killed after being raped.

The rights body said that four children lost their lives following attempted rape, while three were shot dead. Two domestic workers died as a result of physical abuse, two children were killed by stalkers, and another was killed following abduction. During the same period, ASK recorded 99 cases of suicide, mysterious deaths, and recovery of children’s bodies, Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

Reports suggest that the recovery of dead bodies of missing children forms part of a wider pattern of violence against minors in Bangladesh, with recent cases involving rape and murder, fatal physical abuse and the killing of children alongside their family members.

In multiple instances, the accused were reportedly known to the victims.

Several cases involving the killing of children across Bangladesh have emerged in recent weeks.

A 10-year-old child who went missing in Pabna Sadar on September 9 was found dead in a ditch seven days later. Police said the child had been raped and killed, with two people arrested over the incident.

In another case, the body of a seven-year-old child who disappeared after going to school in Madarganj, Jamalpur, on September 10 was found buried beneath the floor of a classmate’s house the next day.

According to the Police, the classmate’s father had raped and killed the child, with two people arrested in connection with the case.

Citing reports, Dhaka Tribune reported that seven children were also killed alongside other family members in four separate incidents.

The killings of children have unfolded alongside a continuing crisis of children going missing across Bangladesh. Various media reported that over 15,000 children disappeared nationwide between January and July this year, highlighting the scale of the problem.

Earlier this month, Bangladeshi police headquarters in a press release said that 15,717 children had gone missing during the first seven months of the year. Although 13,679 were traced, 2,038 remained missing, accounting for nearly 13 per cent of the total.

Hyderabad, Sep 21: An auto-rickshaw driver was to death allegedly by a group of people following an argument over Rs. 10 change in the old city of Hyderabad, police said.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening in Vattepally under limits of Falaknuma Police Station.

The victim was identified as Mohammed Mukarram (42). His brother Mohammed Afroz said he was brutally assaulted and murdered in front of his family members.

According to Afroz, when a passenger who gave Rs.200 note to Mukarram towards the auto fare of Rs.10, Mukarram asked him to pay the change. This led to an argument and the passenger called some others who thrashed Mukarram, resulting in grievous injuries. He succumbed before he could be shifted to a hospital.

Afroz alleged that Azeem, reporter of a local news channel, Shoaib and 6-8 others were involved in the killing.

“My brother was epileptic and weak-hearted. Despite my requests to spare him, they kept raining blows on him and he collapsed,” said Afroz as he broke down narrating the incident before media.

Mukarram is survived by wife and four children. Afroz demanded the government to do justice to the family by ensuring harshest punishment to the killers.

Police said they have registered a case and took up investigation.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Mohammed Mubeen visited the area and consoled the family of the victim.

The MLA demanded immediate arrest of the accused. He voiced concern over the growing incidents of crime in Vattepally area and demanded the police to intensify patrolling.

The incident occurred amid spate of murders in Hyderabad. The city has witnessed eight murders during the last two weeks.

Use of knives, sickles and other sharp-edged weapons for targeting murders in crowded places is causing a huge public concern.

Last week, a rowdy sheeter was hacked to death inside a wine shop permit room in Bandlaguda area. Previous enmity with a childhood friend was said to be the motive behind the killing.

Voicing concern over the series of murders, AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi recently demanded that the government establish dedicated anti-murder squads of the police to ensure swift investigations and secure convictions within a year.

Pune Sep 21: A social media influencer was forced to prostrate in front of Raj Thackeray’s photograph for allegedly mocking Raj Thackeray in one of his reels.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers captured the influencer, Mahesh Mote, and forced him to prostrate before a photograph of Raj Thackeray with slippers on his head and black ink smeared on his face. He was recorded while he apologized on camera in the same position while doing sit-ups.

The video showed tears flowing down Mote’s cheeks while the latter apologising to Raj Thackeray and the MNS workers for alleged insult and also pleading before them to be forgiven and let off.

“I inadvertently said something wrong about Raj Saheb, and I also mistakenly spoke inappropriately about Shubham Dada and other MNS office-bearers. Today, I deeply regret my mistake. Because of this reel, I have found myself in this predicament. I sincerely apologise to the MNS party and to all of you,” Mote pleaded, with wet eyes.

According to reports, a sub-divisional president of Hardaspur Assembly constituency, Shubham Jagdale alleged that the influencer used abusive and offensive language against MNS chief Raj Thackeray in a video posted about 15 days ago.

Previously, the influencer was in Keralam but as soon as he returned to Pune, MNS workers got information and brought him to an MNS Public relations’ office, where the apology video was recorded.

Jagdale claimed that Mote was given “mahaprasad”, meaning that the latter was treated roughly. Boasting about the incident, the MNS worker said that anyone who would try to tarnish Raj Thackeray’s image would meet a similar fate.

“We brought him to our office and made him lie down before a portrait of the respected Raj Saheb Thackeray and demanded an apology,” a MNS leader was heard saying.

In further boasting, he stated, “In true MNS style, we gave him a fitting reply in our own language – something you might even call ‘Mahaprasad’. I believe that if anyone makes such remarks against Raj Saheb Thackeray, MNS will respond in exactly this manner.”