Dhaka, (Samajweekly) Three youths have been arrested in Bangladesh’s Noakhali district
in connection with the recent communal attack on Hindu families and temples during Durga Puja, that left at least two dead, police said.
Ripon Ahmed, 19, Arafat Hossain, 24, and Ibrahim Khalil, 25 have confessed to their involvement in the attacks.
On October 15, Jatan Kumar Saha, 42 was killed brutally, being hacked to death by a mob, and the next day, the body of Pranto Das, 20, was found in a pond next to the Iskcon temple in Choumuhani.
Police identified the three accused through CCTV footage before making the arrests on Saturday, Noakhali’s Superintendent of Police M. Shahidul Islam said.
Attempts are being made to identify and arrest others involved in the incident through watching video footage, police added.
A senior judicial magistrate recorded statements of the three before sending them to jail late on Saturday, media reports said.
Another accused arrested over the attacks, Abdur Rahim Sujon, 19, gave a confessional statement on Thursday.
Police have so far arrested around 130 people for their alleged involvement in the attacks on the Choumuhani market area in Noakhali’s Begumganj upazila.
A total of 10 cases have been filed in connection with the incident, the SP told IANS on Sunday.
Meanwhile, various organisations, including the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), organised human chains and demonstrations protesting the communal attacks on temples, puja venues, temples, shops and houses in Chaumuhani, and Begumganj.
The programme was held on Sunday morning in front of the District Civil Surgeon’s Office and on Abdul Malek Ukil Road at the intersection of City Hall. In addition to the organisers, people of different classes and professions participated.
