Case filed against 270 over attack on police in Natore

Police have filed a case in connection with an attack on law enforcers in Gurudaspur, Natore, which erupted over the preparation of inquest reports for two children who drowned in a river. The case names 20 individuals and includes 200 to 250 unidentified persons as accused. Two police personnel were injured in the incident.

Sub-Inspector (SI) Emdadul Haque of Gurudaspur Police Station filed the case around 12:30am on Wednesday (August 26). The case was filed on charges of obstructing government work, attacking police and preventing them from performing their duties.

According to the case statement, on Tuesday (August 25), two children—Lam and Farhan, aged 8 to 9—drowned in the Nandkuja River while bathing in Shyampur village under Chandpur union in Gurudaspur upazila. Upon receiving information, SI Abul Bashar and Constable Abu Rakib, assigned to investigate the unnatural death case, visited the spot. In the evening, they prepared the inquest report for Lam's body at his residence.

Later, when Farhan's body was taken to the Eidgah field adjacent to Chandpur Wapda Bazar, police went there and prepared his inquest report as well. Lam's body was also brought to the same field, where the funeral prayers for both children were held.

The case statement said that after the funeral, around 7:30pm, SI Abul Bashar proposed handing over the bodies of the two children to their guardians in writing and informing the police station accordingly. This proposal agitated those present. Sensing the deteriorating situation, SI Abul Bashar and Constable Abu Rakib took shelter in a local shop.

Police alleged that several individuals surrounded the shop and began hurling abuses at them. When the police officers attempted to leave the shop around 8:10pm, a man struck SI Abul Bashar on the head with a bamboo stick. Later, the attack continued with bamboo sticks, wooden clubs and iron rods, injuring SI Abul Bashar and Constable Abu Rakib.

The police officers then took shelter in a local madrasa, where the attackers attempted to assault them again. Additional police from the police station arrived at the scene and rescued the injured officers with the help of locals. The injured SI Abul Bashar was admitted to Gurudaspur Upazila Health Complex.

However, locals claimed that tensions arose when police attempted to prepare the inquest report by removing the burial shrouds during the funeral prayers. This led to arguments and eventually physical altercations with police, resulting in officers being assaulted.

Following the incident, SI Abul Bashar and Constable Abu Rakib were withdrawn from Gurudaspur Police Station and attached to police lines.

The complainant, SI Emdadul Haque, confirmed the matter, stating that he submitted the case statement to the police station after finishing duty on Wednesday night.

Gurudaspur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Hannan said the matter is currently under process.