Students come under attack in Cumilla, seven hit by bullets, one referred to Dhaka

Seven people sustained bullet injuries when leaders and activists of Swechchhasebak League and Chattra League attacked the protest procession of the Students Against Discrimination in the Police Lines and Racecourse area of Cumilla city on Saturday.

At least 30 people were injured in the attack.

The students who sustained bullets are Arfan Mazumder, 16, Sourav, 25, Maruf, 16, Asif, 11, Mridul, 12, Sujon, 13, Sanny, 18.

One of the injured, Sourav was referred to Dhaka while the remaining injured underwent treatment at the Comilla Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Many of the injured returned home after receiving first aid.

CMCH director Sheikh Fazle Rabbi confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo. He said Surov sustained severe injury in his eyes and he was referred to the National Institute of Opthalmology and Hospital (NIOH) in Dhaka.

News about the deaths of several students in the attack of Jubo League and Chhatra League were making rounds on social media platform Facebook. Porthom Alo could not verify the news.

Cumilla superintendent of police Md Saidul Islam said no student died in Cumilla. More than two hundred students took shelter at the Police Lines and police escorted them home later, he added.

Awami League’s Cumilla city unit acting general secretary Atik Ullah denied the allegation of attacking students saying leaders and activists of Awami League, Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League took to streets to resist Bangladesh Nationalists Party and Jamaat-e-Islami, and they hit no student either.

One of the coordinators of the protesting students, Jannatul Eva said many people were injured in the attack. She also condemned such attacks launched by ruling party men.