Hill Voice, 30 May 2022, Bandarban: According to the latest report, four innocent Jumma villagers have been arrested and handed over to the police and eight other Jumma villagers including women and children have been beaten and detained by the Bangladesh Army in Ruma Upazila under Bandarban Hill District.

A report released by Hill Voice this morning states that two Jummas have been arrested, but the latest information indicates that four people have been arrested and eight others have been beaten and detained.

The arrested persons are- (1) Bipanna Tanchangya (22), son of Roni Kumar Tanchangya, (2) Ronya Tanchangya (23), son of Chandu Tanchangya, (3) Mekko Tanchangya (27), son of Sarik Kumar Tanchangya and (4) Natun Joy Tanchangya (35), son of Vishnu Tanchangya. All of them live in Gangachara (Tiger Para) village of No.2 ward of remote Barathali union of Bilaichhari upazila under Rangamati hill district bordering Ruma.

According to local sources, the villagers went to Ruma Bazaar yesterday (May 29, 2022) for family shopping.

An army patrol team led by Sergeant Zakir of Ruma Army Zone first arrested Bipanna Tanchangya (22) and Ronya Tanchangya (23) while they were shopping this morning (May 30, 2022).

After receiving the news of the arrest of the two, Mekko Tanchangya (27) and Natun Joy Tanchangya (35) were returning to the village from Ruma Bazar in fear. At the same time, the army detained them also at the Mannuam Para army camp on the way. The Mannuam Para Army Camp is under the control of Ruma Army Zone 28-Bir. Md. Imdad is the commander of the camp.

It is learnt that the army captured the four innocent villagers in Ruma Sadar army zone calling them ‘terrorists’. The four arrested were later handed over to Ruma police station.

Meanwhile, after receiving the news of the arrest of the 4 villagers, 8 relatives of the detainees headed by local union council member Jamaya Tanchangya left for Ruma from Gangachara (Tiger Para). When they reached Mannuam Para at that time, the army also detained them and beat them at one stage. The victims include women and children.

The villagers who were detained and beaten at that time were Jamaya Tanchangya (40), son of Russell Tanchangya; Raitpo Tanchangya (15), son of Sarik Kumar Tanchangya; Swapnalal Tanchangya (13), son of Arjun Tanchangya; Nazal Tanchangya (14), son of Alchaga Tanchangya; Champa Tanchangya (13), daughter of Kalinda Tanchangya; Sagarika Tanchangya (13), daughter of Nanda Tanchangya; Sanjita Tanchangya (14), daughter of Jamaya Tanchangya; Sabita Tanchangya (18), daughter of Chando Tanchangya.

As of this writing, UP member Jamaya Tanchangya has been released from custody and others have not been released.

It is also learnt that the victim Sabita Tanchangya has a small shop in the village. The army beat Sabita Tanchangya and forced her to confess that half of the goods in their shop belonged to JSS and the other half to their own. The written confession forcibly taken was sent from Mannuam Para Army Camp to Ruma Army Zone and was reportedly sent to Ruma Police Station from the zone.