Hill Voice, 21 September 2020, Brahmanbaria: Five Hindu families have been allegedly attacked in Kalikachcha Muchipara in Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria district. Seven people were injured. The incident took place on 17 September 2020 Thursday.
Family members of the victim said that the Hindu community was conducting Bishwakarma Puja last Thursday night. That night, Ripon Das, a resident of Muchipara in Kalikchh was returning home after seeing puja from a nearby village. At that time, some people in the area blocked his way and searched his body saying that he had drugs.
Ripon protested the incident as he did not get any drugs at that time. Being enraged, a group of people led by Rahat Mia, Sumon Mia and Russell Mia beaten up Ripon and seriously injured him. Later, when his relatives came forward, they were also beaten.
The injured person were Ripon Rabidas, Titan Rabidas, Shefali Rani, Sanjay Rabidas, Rima Rani, Sajan Rabidas and Pooja Rani Das. The injured are being treated at Brahmanbaria General Hospital and Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Injury person Rima Rani, a class ninth girl student of Kalikachcha Pathshala High School, said, “We are often harassed by local scoundrels on the way to and from school.
The victims Gouri Rani Das and Basanti Rani Das said the attack was fueled by Union Awami League general secretary Salim Uddin to evict them from their ancestral home. They held a meeting the day before the attack.
However, Salim Uddin denied the allegations and said that no meeting was held at my house. They have been here for 50 years. The house where the cobblers live is bought from my father. After searching the body of Ripon Rabidas, the people of the area found drugs. There is a problem with this. I am not involved in the incident. We have kept them (the shoemaker community) 100 percent safe.
After the incident a 10 member delegates led by Sujan Datta, joint secretary of the district branch of the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad visited the spot. Sujan Datta said the main motive of the attackers was to evict the five Hindu families here.
Inspector (Investigation) of Sarail Police Station Shafiqul Islam said a case has been registered against 18 people in the incident. On Friday, already police have arrested two people.
