BANGLADESH

The police have rescued a 30-year-old man whose family kept him locked in a toilet for around three years labelling him a mental patient.

Mohammad Firoz Alam of Sahebganj village at Faridganj Upazila in Chandpur district was freed from the toilet on Wednesday.

His father Shamsul Alam, 60, who was detained over the incident along with Firoz's mother Halima Begum, 50, and brother Shah Alam, 35, claimed that Firoz was suffering from mental illness.

Shamsul, an assistant teacher of Sholla Government Primary School, said Firoz lost mental balance around three years back. The family kept him locked in a toilet out of fear that he could harm the neighbours, he added.

However, physician Aminul Islam Sumon of Faridganj Upazila Health Complex, where Firoz is being treated, said, "He's not a mental patient. He has become weak because of the confinement for a long time."

Faridganj police chief Mohammad Jabed said police raided Shamsul's house based on information by the local people.

"The detainees have admitted that they confined Firoz. But they claim that he is mentally sick," he said.

"We're investigating into the matter," he added.

One of Firoz's brothers, 'Nasir', along with several local people, told bdnews24.com that Firoz was tortured during the confinement.

"I was driven out of the house as I protested the torture. I informed many of the influential people about the matter. Those who tried to take steps were rebuked harshly," Nasir said.

Local union council chairman Billal Hossain Khan said he started collecting information on Firoz when he had been informed recently.

"Everyone said he was not mentally sick," Khan added.

Local people said Firoz was a polite person. He never had a quarrel with anybody, they said.

They suspect that dispute over property was the reason behind the incident.

Firoz told that he had never been a mental patient. He had passed Secondary School Certificate exams in 1998 and Higher Secondary Certificate exams in 2000.

He said he had gone abroad too.

"I went abroad in 2002. Then I returned in 2006 and got married. After three months, I went abroad again," he said.

Firoz went on, "I came to know that my father, mother and brother Shah Alam had behaved badly with my wife. Not only this, they beat her up. To escape torture, one day my wife returned to her father's house and never came back."

He said he returned home after coming to know his wife's leaving.

"My father, mother, brother and I quarrelled frequently over various issues. I was divorced. They confined me in the toilet," he added.

Firoz also said he was given little food during the confinement.

"I would cry for food. But they won't give me food or water when I asked for. I even consumed junks," he added.