Villagers attack police after 10-yr-old child shot in Bogura

At least 5 were injured as police clashed with hartal-supporters in Bogura. Detective Branch (DB) of Bogura district police allegedly fired several rounds of bullets to disperse the picketers who blocked the highway.

At one point, news of a child being shot by police spread by loudspeakers of a mosque and hundreds of villagers blocked the highway and hurled brickbats targeting police.

In retaliation, police fired from shotguns and a fierce clash broke out leaving at least four people shot.

The incident took place at Gokul Kholarghar area on Dhaka-Rangpur highway. The injured persons are 10-year-old Mahi, students Nayan, Raju, Awlad and Gafur. A local journalist named Sabbir Ahmed Shakil was hit by brickbats.

The injured persons are receiving treatment at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.

Witnesses said the hartal-supporters were picketing on the highway since Sunday morning. As the picketers vandalised several vehicles at that time, a patrol team of RAB reached the spot and tried to disperse the crowd.

Later a DB team went to the spot and fired from shotguns. The child was injured at that time. Later the news spread in the village, and the villagers in droves rushed to the highway and pelted stones to the police.

Bogura district BNP’s vice president Maftun Ahmed Khan alleged that the police shot a 10-year-old without any provocation. As the villagers became agitated, police lobbed indiscriminate fire towards them.

Bogura DB’s inspector Mustafiz Hasan hung up the call while asked about the incident.

Bogura Sadar circle’s additional superintendent Sharafat Islam said a patrol team was sent to Sadar’s Gokul area but he does not know how many rounds of bullets were fired under what circumstance.