Gaibandha Santals among 71 get HC bail
The High Court yesterday granted anticipatory bail to 71 people, most of whom are Santals of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha, for six weeks in four cases filed before the clash on November 6 last year.
The order came after hearing eight bail petitions filed by the accused in connection with the cases filed in July, August and September last year.
Petitioners' lawyer Advocate Abu Obaidur Rahman said the Rangpur Sugar Mill authorities and police filed the four cases against 71 petitioners, most of whom are Santals, on different charges including illegally constructing houses and besieging a police camp.
On November 6 last year, police along with the mill staff reportedly clashed with the ethnic minorities during a drive to evict them from around 100 acres of the sugarcane farm which were acquired from the ancestors of the indigenous community. Santals now want the land in Gobindaganj back saying an agreement signed in 1962 after the land acquirement was violated.
The clash left two Santals dead, six missing and 20 others, including nine policemen, injured.
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