2 UP members arrested over Rangpur communal attack

Police arrested two members of a union parishad in Sadar upazila in connection with the arson attack at Thakurbari village over a Facebook post that reportedly ‘hurt the religious sentiment’ of local Muslims, leading to an arson attack.

With the arrest of Fazlu and Joynal, members of Mominpur Union Parishad, the number of arrest in the case has risen to 161 so far, said officer-in-charge Shariful Islam of Detective Branch (North).

Earlier on Saturday morning, police filed a case against more than 2,000 people over the clash and detained 36 people from Gangachhara and Kotwali areas on Friday night in this connection.

Over a reported Facebook post by Titu Chandra ‘demeaning’ Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PUBH), around 8,000 people from nearby villages marched towards Thakurbari village, a Hindu-dominated village and vandalised and torched 8-10 houses of Hindus on November 10.

On information, police rushed in, charged baton, fired rubber bullets and lobbed teargas canisters to disperse the agitating people, leaving six people injured with bullets.

A man was killed and 20 others, including four policemen, were injured during the clash.

Source: unb