Stone Lifting: Freedom fighter sues OC, 8 others

A freedom fighter has sued nine people, including two policemen, for illegally lifting stones from his property in Jaflong of Sylhet's Gowainghat upazila.

Insan Ali of Jaflong Nayabasti area filed the case with Sylhet Senior Special Session Judge's Court on Sunday. Later, the court tasked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with the investigation, said Insan's lawyer Shah Alam.

The accused cops are Officer-in-Charge Abdul Ahad of Gowainghat Police Station and Sub-Inspector of the police station Abdul Mannan.

The case statement says a group of unscrupulous traders with the help of the policemen has been illegally lifting stones from Insan's property and nearby government land under the Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) for around a month.

According to a gazette notification issued in 2015, around 15sqkm area, from the Jaflong-Dawki river flowing into Bangladesh at the border with India to the edge of Sari-Gowainghat river, is under the ECA.

On January 18 this year, the accused started lifting stone from Insan's property, he said in the case statement, adding that the accused also began stealing stone from nearby Khas land, flood protection dam of the Piyain river and adjacent Amir Miah High School field around the same time.

Insan said he had already informed the matter to the ACC, the police headquarters and the home ministry in Dhaka.

In the case statement, the freedom fighter alleged that he and his family members were threatened by the accused when he protested the stone lifting.

The Daily Star repeatedly tried to contact the OC over phone for his comments on the issue, but he did not pick up the calls.

The SI also could not be reached.