Dhaka: The High Court on Sunday asked the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate the incident where a local journalist was tortured in Kalkini upazila of Madaripur.

An HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah passed the suo moto order and asked the IGP to submit a report within 30 days after investigating the incident.

The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why legal action should not be taken against those responsible for torturing the newsman.

The Home Secretary, IGP, Dhaka DIG and Madaripur SP were made respondents to the rule.

The HC fixed May 14 for the next hearing.

The HC passed the order following a report titled 'Journo tortured after being tied with tree' published in a daily newspaper on Sunday.

Deputy attorney general Tapas Kumar Biswas represented the state.

According to the report, Shahidul Islam, Kalkini correspondent of the Daily Jai Jai Din, was tortured after being tied with a tree while collecting information for filing a report on the East Enayetnagar Union Parishad Election on Friday in Kalkini upazila.

Besides, police arrested him after filing an extortion case against him on Friday night and he was sent to jail on Saturday.