Hill Voice, 13 March 2022, Rangamati: Four innocent Jumma villagers were inhumanely beaten by the army and after beating, one of them was allegedly handed over to Rangamati Katowali Police Station putting arms, bullets, dao with the arrestee in Jibtali Union of Rangamati Sadar Upazila. Later, it was propagated by the army in army-backed various online media that the arrested person was a terrorist of the main party of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS).

According to local sources, on Sunday morning (March 13, 2022), a group of army numbering 30/35 personnel from Gabghona army camp and Jibtali army camp led by Md. Gias, Commander of Gabghona army camp under Rangamati army Region of 7 RE Regiment carried out search operation at Gurgujyachari area of Mogban union of Rangamati sadar upazila.

At that time, the army first surrounded the shop of Apan Chakma (33), son of Shambhu Lal Chakma of the area. Soon after, the army surrounded the house of Shambhu Lal Chakma (50), son of Suryasan Chakma, Kripadhan Chakma (43), son of Chandra Sen Chakma and Nayan Chakma, and conducted a massive search of the houses. The army then tied the four innocent villagers together with ropes and beat Shambhu Lal Chakma severely.

Later, around 8:00 am, the army detained the 4 villagers and took them away to the Jibtali army camp. It is learnt that around 3:00 pm, the army took Apan Chakma, Kripadhan Chakma and Nayan Chakma to their respective homes.

On the other hand, Shambhu Lal Chakma, another detained and tortured villager, was falsely entangled in the false suit putting a country-made gun, 1 round of cartridge, 8 pieces of daos (sharp metal tools) and handed over to Rangamati Kotwali Police Station after being arrested by the army.

Meanwhile, in the afternoon after the incident, the army and various army-backed online media claimed that the arrested Shambhu Lal Chakma was a terrorist of PCJSS.

When contacted, a local leader of PCJSS said that the arrested Shambhu Lal Chakma was an innocent villager. In order to establish a reign of fear among the Jummas in the area and to justify their own anti-Jumma mentality, the army carried out such so-called raids in the Jummas’ villages and tortured, harassed and conspiratorially arrested innocent people.

According to local sources, at the time of writing this report, a group of the army numbering 20/22 personnel from Marichyabil army camp in the adjoining Balukhali Union was stationed at Gurgujachari Government Primary School.

On the other hand, another group of the army comprising 20/23 personnel from Kukipara army camp is presently stationed at Duttang Government Primary School. Besides, it has been reported that army operations are being carried out in different areas of Jibtali Union including Aghoiyachari, Prajuchara, Renkhyong Bazar from Jibtali army camp and Gabaghona army camp.