Nasirnagar Attack: Police seek 7-day remand for Ankhi

Police yesterday produced Haripur Union Parishad Chairman Dewan Atiqur Rahman Ankhi, allegedly an organiser of the October 30 hate attack on Hindus in Nasirnagar, before a local court and sought his remand in custody for seven days. 

Senior Judicial Magistrate Saraf Uddin of Brahmanbaria did not hear the remand prayer yesterday as it was a weekend. The court sent him to jail, said court police.

The hearing on the remand prayer will be held tomorrow.

Md Mahbubur Rahman, inspector at Brahmanbaria District Judge's Court, said police have sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegation of Ankhi's involvement in the Nasirnagar attack. He hired trucks to gather people and spent money to incite them against the Hindus, added the inspector.

On Thursday, a patrol team of the capital's Bhatara Police Station picked up Ankhi, also a leader of the ruling Awami League, from Bhatara. Later, he was handed over to Brahmanbaria police.

He was shown arrested in a case filed with Nasirnagar Police Station over vandalising the Gouramandir in the upazila. 

On November 29, police arrested Jahangir Alam, owner of Al-Amin Cyber Point and Studio at Horinber Bazar in Haripur, who played an active role in inciting locals against Hindus after a post appeared on the Facebook wall of Hindu fisherman Rasraj Das.

Rasraj is now behind bars.

Jahangir in his confessional statement to a Brahmanbaria court on December 8 said Ankhi ordered him to gather people and hire trucks for carrying out the attack.

Armed with sticks and sharp weapons, around 200 people attacked at least five temples, and vandalised and looted about 100 Hindu houses in several localities in Nasirnagar on October 30.

Eight cases have been filed so far in connection with the attacks. Law enforcers have arrested 109 people, including AL and BNP leaders.