Photo: Messenger
The Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) on Wednesday informed that they arrested 49 followers of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) following the clash with police at Hajari Lane at Kotwali in Chattogram on Tuesday night.
CMP’s deputy commissioner (crime and operations) Md Rois Uddin at a press conference at Dampara police lines on Wednesday afternoon blamed the ISKCON followers for the clash ensued following a facebook post on ISKCON by a shopkeeper at Hajari Lane.
“A shopkeeper was confined and beaten up at Hajari Lane for posting a status on facebook on ISKCON. ISKCON followers carried out an attack and threw acid on the cops when they went to the spot to control the situation,” claimed Md Rois Uddin.
“Nine members of the police and five other members of law enforcers were injured in the attack. Later, they detained 82 persons from the spot for their alleged involvement with the incident,” he said. “Some shops have been ordered to be closed for security reasons and there is no instruction to close other shops,” the DC said.
Sub-inspector Mizanur Rahman of Kotwali police filed a case accusing 49 named and 600 unnamed following the clash, according to Kazi Md Tareq Aziz, additional deputy commissioner (public relations) of CMP. Police detained 82 ISKCON followers from the spot on Tuesday night. However, they released 33 as their involvement was not found, he informed. No ISKCON officials could be reached for comment as their mobile phone were found switched off.
However, a sedition case was filed on October 31 against 19 people including Chandan Kumar Dhar alias Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a top official of ISKCON, on charges of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag at New Market area in Chattogram on October 25 during a mass rally to press home for eight-point demands.
Md Firoz Khan, general secretary of ward no 5 Mohra unit of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, filed the case with Kotwali police station. However, BNP dismissed Md Firoz Khan from his post on November 01, 2024 over the issue.
Messenger/Reimon/Fameema/SK
