A woman cleans up shards after a gang of criminals attacked the houses of three Hindu families at Puthia of Rajshahi.Photo: STAR

A gang of criminals attacked three Hindu families at Dighalkandi Sahapara village in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi Monday night, injuring 12 people.
Police and locals said the hoodlums also looted five houses and shops during the attack in an attempt to grab land of those families.
Of the injured, Profulla Chandra Saha, his wife Bijli Rani Saha and brother Bijoy Saha, Sukumar, Chand and Nomita were admitted to Puthia Health Complex in a critical condition.
Sources said around 30 criminals, believed to be BNP-Jamaat cadres, made the attack and damaged houses of vanpuller Bijoy, Sukumar and Uttam. They also looted the grocery shop of Sukumar and stitching shop of Uttam's wife Nomita during the attack.
Local sources said criminals of neighbouring Kacharipara village beat up two youths--Nayan and Sujon--at Sahapara on August 27. Following the incident, a total of 35 people of 10 Hindu families filed a general diary (GD) with the local police station expressing their insecurity.
After filing of the GD, the gang attacked the three families on the night.
The villagers alleged that the attackers hurled filthy abuses toward them during the attack for supporting Awami League (AL) during the last general election.
Baneswar Union AL President Abdus Sattar said criminals have been trying to grab the land of the Hindu families of Dighalkandi village for long.
“There were a number of Hindu families in the village. Most of them fled away to save their lives and some families are still living there bearing the brunt of adversity," he said.
“We have nowhere to go. Where we go, the miscreants are trailing us. We are so scared that many of us cannot work,” said Shibesh Saha, a villager.
A case was filed with Puthia Police against 25 persons including Abul, Jahangir, Aiyub, Arif and Shahabuddin of Kacharipara village.
Sub-inspector Abdus Sattar of Puthia Police Station said that they are investigating the case.