Mob attack on businessman's house, shop in Joypurhat

Police have arrested the main accused Raju in a case filed over allegations of creating a ‘mob’ and attacking, vandalising and looting a businessman’s shop and house in Akkelpur of Joypurhat for not paying toll. A case has been filed naming 18 persons in connection with the incident.

The incident took place around noon in Krishnakola village of the upazila on Saturday (August 22). Victim businessman Al Amin and Azad’s father Kashem Ali filed the case at Akkelpur Police Station on Sunday.

The First Information Report of the case alleged looting of Tk 7 lakh in cash and damage of Tk 6 lakh 90 thousand. However, businessman Al Amin claimed that the attackers looted goods worth about Tk 14 lakh including cash, gold ornaments and machinery parts from the house and shop.

Local sources and victims said an easy-bike of Sagar Hosen of Burapukur-Bishnupur village of the upazila was stolen a few days ago. Miscreants cut the lock of his house and took away the easy-bike on the night of August 9. A written complaint was filed at the police station over the incident but it was not recovered.

Meanwhile, local people chased and detained three persons after seeing them moving suspiciously in Burapukur area on Friday night. One person fled at that time. Later Raju of Chardighi village went there and allegedly beat the three detained persons.

The next day on Saturday, an open arbitration was held on a vacant space beside a mosque in Burapukur village. The three detained suspects and more than a hundred people were present there. In the arbitration the detained persons confessed to stealing the easy-bike and said they had sold it at a shop in Krishnakola village. The video of that arbitration later spread on social media Facebook.

Afterwards the three detained persons were taken to Bhai-Bhai Engineering Workshop and Machineries shop in Krishnakola village under the leadership of Raju. More than three hundred people from Burapukur-Bishnupur and Chardighi villages gathered there. At one stage the agitated people allegedly attacked the shop and the adjacent house.

The attackers vandalised the shop and house and looted various goods, according to allegations in the case. Four tractors, shallow machines and various other equipment were also vandalised.

Businessman Al Amin said he and his brother Azad started the workshop business in the village about a decade ago. They alleged that about a month ago Raju of Chardighi village along with several others demanded Tk 50 thousand as toll from them saying they would go on a picnic. When they refused to give the money, they were threatened with consequences.

Al Amin claimed that the attack on their business establishment and house was carried out by raising allegations of buying and selling stolen easy-bike parts. However, he said they were not involved in any trade of stolen parts and were running the business legally.

On the other hand, Raju denied the allegation of demanding toll. He claimed that the three detained persons were taken to that shop along with police after they confessed to stealing the easy-bike. He also claimed that no incident of attack, vandalism or looting took place there.

Raju further alleged that Al Amin and his brother Azad had long been involved in buying and selling stolen easy-bikes and parts. However, Al Amin also denied this allegation.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Akkelpur Police Station Shaheen Reza said he visited the scene on Saturday night. It was initially learnt that a group of people created a ‘mob’ by raising allegations of buying and selling stolen easy-bike goods and attacked and vandalised the business establishment and house.

He said Kashem Ali filed a case at the police station naming 18 persons. Police conducted a drive and arrested the main accused of the case, Raju. Drive is continuing to arrest the other accused.

Police claimed that the actual cause of the incident and who were involved in the attack, vandalism and looting are being investigated.