Child killed, 6 hurt as drug-addict goes on stabbing spree

A drug-addicted man went on a stabbing spree in Dashmina upazila of Patuakhali on Thursday night, killing a child and injuring six others, said police.

The deceased, Safayet Hossain, 8, son of Jamal Hossain of Charhosnabad village, died on the way to Barishal hospital. Police arrested the attacker, Sabuj Mridha, 30, a known drug addict in the area.

Locals and police said Sabuj entered a house at Mridha Bari around 9:00pm and began stabbing people indiscriminately.

Safayet's parents, Jamal and Nasiam, along with five others, were injured -- two of them were later transferred to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

Dashmina OC Md Abdul Alim said Sabuj, now in custody, appeared mentally unstable due to drug abuse.  After climbing a tree to evade capture, he was brought down safely following a four-hour joint operation by police and fire service personnel.