Hill Voice, 28 December 2020, Rangamati: It has been alleged that two innocent Jumma villagers of Kengrachhari in Bilachhari upazila of Rangamati Hill District have been detained by the army and physically tortured after being detained.

One of the detainees reportedly fled the army’s custody after receiving death threats in crossfire by the army.

According to local sources, on December 27, 2020 at around 5:30 pm, a group of army of numbering 40 personnel led by Major Akhel Ahmed, Second-in-Command (2IC) of Bilaichhari Army Zone and Subedar Shamsu, Commander of Gachkabachhara army camp, conducted a patrolling operation at Pikyachari village of Kengrachari Union. At that time, army detained two innocent Jumma villagers.

The two arrested villagers are identified as (1) Suniti Chakma (29), son of Dhana Lal Chakma and (2) Ganeshwar Chakma (50), son of late Nilambar Chakma. After the arrest, the army physically and mentally tortured the two Jumma villagers.

It is learnt that after the arrest, the two Jumma villagers were taken to Bilaichari Army Zone. At one point, Major Akhel Ahmed called a high-ranking official and said, “I have caught two JSS men, whether I will crossfire or not.” On hearing this, the arrested Suniti Chakma fled from the army zone at around 11:00 pm for fear of being killed in crossfire.

At the time of writing the report, another detainee, Ganeshwar Chakma, is still being held in the Bilaichhari army zone.