Suspect arrested with AK-22 rifle

Another suspect was arrested yesterday in connection with Thursday's gun attack on a Hindu temple in Dinajpur that left two people injured.

Locals caught Mosabberul, 23, of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, following his suspicious movement in Singra Salbagan village, some five kilometres off the temple, in the morning, and handed him over to police after giving him a good beating.

However, before being apprehended, he had opened fire on the villagers to make way for his escape, injuring one Rafiqul Islam, 40, reports our Dinajpur correspondent.

Sujan Sarker, assistant superintendent of police (Birganj circle) in Dinajpur, said an AK-22 rifle and 42 bullets were recovered from the gunman. 

”So far, we have come to know that Mosabberul is the one who had opened fire on the temple crowd that night,” he told The Daily Star over phone.

Witnesses said five men on two motorbikes went to Bahuchi village in Kaharol around 8:30pm Thursday and hurled a crude bomb inside the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) Mandir there.

The bomb did not explode. Minutes later, the gunmen opened fire at the entrance of the temple, injuring Mithun Chandra Roy, 27, and Ronojit Chandra Roy, 45.

Locals caught one of the alleged attackers, Sariful Islam of Gaibandha, after they exploded two crude bombs to make way for their escape. He was handed over to police after a beating.

Quoting witnesses, ASP Sujan said arrested Sariful was driving one of the bikes. He said both the arrested attackers were yet to be quizzed as they were undergoing treatment at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.

Rafiqul Islam, who was shot in his left thigh while trying to catch the gunman yesterday, was being treated at the same hospital. There, he said Mossaberul had fired six times on them.

Zillur Rahman, physician at the surgical department of the hospital, said the condition of Ronojit, who was shot on his back Thursday night, was critical. He has been referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

No case was filed till 9:00pm last night.

Earlier in the morning, members of Iskcon temples in the district formed a human chain in front of Dinajpur Press Club, protesting the attack on the temple and demanding the immediate arrest of the attackers.

The gun attack has triggered panic among the Hindus in the area as it was just five days after the bomb attack at Kantaji temple in the same upazila.

On November 30, Birendranath Roy, a priest of Iskcon, was shot at Ranibandar village of Chirirbandar upazila in Dinajpur, and criminals shot Piero Parolari, 67, an Italian doctor and priest, in Mirzapur area of Dinajpur town on November 18.