Arson attack on Hindu house

Unknown criminals set on fire a straw heap and three rooms full of straw of a Hindu family at Madhyo Jhargaon village in Sadar upazila early yesterday. 

The incident occurred around 2:00am when family members were asleep, said Jatru Barman, 52, one of the victims.

“As the three rooms for keeping straw are around 15 yards from our houses the fire did not spread to our homesteads,” he said.  After becoming aware of the fire, family members informed Baliadangi Fire Station and the fire-fighters brought the blaze under control with the help of locals.

OC of Ruhea Police Station Prodip Kumar Roy told this correspondent over cell phone that in primary investigation it was speculated that criminals set  the straw on fire to create panic.

Arunangshu Datta Tito, district unit president of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, said the arson attacks were carried out at different villages for creating panic among the local Hindu community ahead of December 30 polls.

Earlier on Friday, criminals set eight houses of a Hindu family on fire at Singia Shahapara village in Sadar upazila