Cumilla shrine attacks: 2 arrested 3 days after attacks on 4 shrines
Police have arrested two men in connection with attacks and vandalism carried out at four shrines at Homna of Cumilla, following announcements made over loudspeakers. The two were arrested on Sunday afternoon, from Asadpur Bazar in the upazila.
The arrested men are Ibrahim Khalil, 24, of Asadpur Nayapara village, and Shahid Ullah, 33, of Asadpur village. Both run shops in Asadpur area.
Sub-inspector (SI) at Homna police station, Mir Hossain, the investigating officer of the case, told Prothom Alo that the two arrestees were sent to the district jail through the court Sunday afternoon and efforts are on to arrest the other suspects.
Between 10:00 am and 11:00 am on Thursday, separate attacks, vandalism, and arson were carried out at four shrines in Asadpur union of Asadpur village following an alleged derogatory social media post about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
That same night, on Thursday, sub-inspector (SI) Tapas Kumar Sarker of Homna police station filed a case being the plaintiff.
The case was filed against unidentified individuals, though no specific number of suspects was mentioned.
The shrines attacked were: the shrine of Kofil Uddin Shah, located at the home of his son Alek Shah in Asadpur village, the shrine of Abdu Shah, the shrine of Kalai (Kanu) Shah, and the shrine of Hawali Shah in the same village.
According to police and local residents, on Wednesday morning Mohsin, grandson of Kofil Uddin’s son Alek Shah, was accused of making a derogatory post on Facebook about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Mohsin was arrested in connection to the incident and sent to jail through the court on Thursday morning.
Later that morning, attackers first targeted Mohsin’s house and vandalised the shrine of Kofil Uddin Shah. They also vandalised a tin-roofed shade and two tin-made houses before setting them on fire. Then the other three shrines were attacked as well.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Homna police station, Muhammad Rafiqul Islam said that police on Thursday sought a seven-day remand for Mohsin in the Cumilla court for interrogation.