5 held over attack on police in Mirpur

Five people have been detainec in an attack on police during an illegal establishment eviction drive in the capital's Mirpur. Several police personnel were injured in the attack, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said.

The incident took place on Wednesday (May 21) morning in Baunia Mouza, west of Section-9 Block of Pallabi Police Station.

DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) NM Nasiruddin said the eviction drive began at 10:30 am on Wednesday at the initiative of the National Housing Authority. The drive was conducted to evict illegal establishments built on government land acquired in Baunia Mouza and on the side of the road on the west side of the 533 flat project built for slum dwellers. Pallabi Police Station, led by the Executive Magistrate, assisted in the drive.

The local MP visited the scene around 12:15 pm and left after talking to the residents. Shortly after, some people who had prepared in advance started pelting bricks at the policemen, magistrates and housing authority officials who were engaged in the eviction, the police said.

When the situation got out of control, the magistrates and housing authority officials moved to a safe place. At that time, the attackers also broke the front and side windows of four buses requisitioned for the police, the police said.

DC Nasiruddin said that the police members took a strategic position to minimize the damage in the situation that arose. Six to seven policemen were injured in the attack by bricks. Later, additional police reached the spot and captured five people on charges of assault.

Later, the eviction operation started again with the help of the police and the operation continued till the afternoon.