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January
15, 2001
Nilphamari, Jan 14 (UNB) - “I am not a thief. Do not beat me,” eight-year-old Ali Hossain made a passionate appeal when the villagers caught him red handed while attempting to lift cattle.
“They make small hole for my entry into houses and ask me to quietly open the door,” weeping Ali told of an organised group of thieves who brought him in their fold under duress.
Ali and another youngman, Dilip, aged about 21 years, were caught when the thieves were attempting to lift cattle from the railway station area here on the night of January 10. Others managed to flee.
Angry villagers gave them a good beating and handed them over to Sadar thana police the following morning.
UNB correspondent Jahangir Alam Sumon met Ali Hossain in thana hajat when the boy narrated his plight and the story of joining the group of cattle lifters.
Ali said he comes from Mahiganj, an impoverished area in Rangpur district. His father, Atiar Hossain, is a carpenter. They are six brothers and three sisters. Poor as they are, his mother can hardly give them two meals.
About two months back, Ali left home by train for Parbatipur where his elder brother works. He got down from the train at the fall of night and failed to locate his brother’s residence. After several futile attempts, he returned to the platform of Parbatipur railway station. Hungry and shivering in cold the poor boy was sitting in a corner.
And then came 4 or 5 people. They gave bread to Ali and assured him of taking to his brother’s house in the morning.
But, Ali said, they took him to a house in a remote village. The group asked him to obey their orders. Showing him a sharp big knife, they threatened to kill him if he ever tried to disclose their activities to anyone.
“Since then, I am with this group of thieves and lifted 33 cattle from 25 houses,” said Ali. “We have stolen goods and valuables from other houses also.”
“Senior members of the group would make a hole below the fence of a house, ask me to go inside through the opening and quietly open the door for their entry. This way, they commit theft and lift cattle in different villages,” the little boy added.
Police sent Dilip to jail hajat. But they treated Ali with affection, gave him warm clothes and kept the boy on the first floor of the police barrack. Police got from him all information about the group of thieves.
Police sub-inspector Lutfar Rahman informed that a message has been sent to Ali’s father, Atiar Hossain to take his son back.
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