A 40-year-old man and his son-in-law were beaten to death over charges of stealing a van in Burihat Bottala in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district on Saturday night.
The deceased were identified as Ruplal Das of Ghanirampur and his son-in-law Pradeep Das, 35.
Quoting family members, MA Faruk, officer-in-charge of Taraganj Police Station, said Ruplal along with Pradeep, husband of Ruplal’s niece, went to Ghanirampur village to see a prospective groom for his daughter on Saturday night by a van.
When they reached Bottala on Taraganj-Kazirhat road, local people confronted them as suspected van lifters.
In a bizarre coincidence two local van pullers named Alamgir Hossain of Pasharipara village and Mehedi Hasan of Burirhat fell sick and got unconscious, deepening suspicion among local people as they believed the van was stolen after the owner was made unconscious through toxic elements.
Later, local people beat them up mercilessly, leaving both injured.
They were first taken to Taraganj Upazila Health Complex where the doctors declared Ruplal dead around 12 am.
Meanwhile, Pradeep was taken to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries early Sunday.