Raiding House of ‘Criminal’: Cops fall victim to mob beating

Three policemen fell victim to mob beating when they went to raid a house in Narayanganj to arrest an alleged criminal early yesterday.

Locals attacked the law enforcers, terming them "robbers" at Jalkuri Paschim Para in Siddhirganj upazila, said the policemen.

A three-member police team conducted the drive to arrest one Billal Hossain, an accused in a criminal case, around 12:30am, said Assistant Sub-Inspector Nuruzzaman who led it.

When the team knocked on the door, the residents started hurling expletives at them instead of opening it, he said.

At one stage, someone began announcing through loudspeaker from the nearby mosque that robbers attacked the house, said the ASI.

Later, 30 to 40 people with sticks in their lands rushed to the spot and attacked them, said the police officer. "Locals beat us, tore our uniforms and confined us. They also threatened to kill us, if we enter the house," said ASI Nuruzzaman.

"We repeatedly identified ourselves that we are policemen, but they didn't care," he told The Daily Star.

On information from police patrolling the area, additional law enforcers rescued them, he said.

Nuruzzaman filed a case against 13 named and 30 to 40 unnamed persons. Police arrested four of them, said Kamrul Faruk, officer-in-charge (OC) of Siddhirganj Police Station.

The arrestees are Md Aminul Islam (55), Maruf Khan (18), Md Wasim (29), and Samsuzzaman. All of them are residents of different villages in the upazila.

They had information that Billal, an accused in a robbery case, stayed at the house which is not his. The man is still absconding, said the OC.

Residents of the house were not available after the incident.