Truck crushes 3 on a motorbike
Three leaders of district tank-lorry owners' association on a motorbike were crushed to death by a stone-laden truck while trying to get away from highway police in Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria yesterday.
The dead were Brahmanbaria District Tank-Lorry Association president Jahangir Khandker, 40, general secretary Ali Azam, 45, and office secretary Shahjahan Miah, 55, all from Ghatura village in Sadar upazila.
Ali Azam is also local correspondent of the daily Sangbad Protidin.
According to witnesses, highway policemen stopped the motorcycle and “demanded money” from the trio, saying riding of more than two persons on a bike is prohibited.
As the three refused to pay them and tried to speed away, Sub-Inspector Md Anisuzzaman of Sarail Highway Police Station threw a stick at the bike.
The rider lost control and the stone-laden truck from behind ran over the motorcycle. The three died on the spot.
The incident took place between 11:25am and 11:35am.
In protest at the incident, several hundred locals put up a barricade on Dhaka-Sylhet highway, causing long tailbacks. The barricade was withdrawn around 4:30pm, sources said.
Agitating mob also ransacked a police wrecker that tried to go to the spot, which is near a crowded bazaar.
Locals say police have indulged in extortion from vehicles at this point to make some extra bucks ahead of the Eid.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Sarail Police Station Rupak Kumar Saha said, “Higher authorities have been informed about the incident. We are working as per their directives. The process of restoring normal traffic movement is going on.”
Brahmanbaria Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman said he heard about the incident but highway police should be contacted for details.
The OC of Sarail Highway Police Station could not be contacted and this correspondent found the police station locked. Mobile phone of SI Anisuzzaman was also found switched off.
Talking to The Daily Star, Shoylen Chakma, senior ASP of highway police (Sylhet circle), said cops stopped the bike to check its papers.
The bike was on halt when the truck ran over it, he claimed.
The ASP also said he went to the spot and talked to people. “It was found that the agitation was led by CNG drivers as they want to cause trouble for police because of drives against movement of three-wheelers on highways.”
The CNG drivers have spread rumours that a policeman threw stick at the bike causing the accident, he added.
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