Male members of 2 villages flee homes fearing arrest

At least 400 male people of two villages in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila have fled their homes, fearing arrest and harassment following Sunday's attack on policemen on Lalmonirhat-Rangpur Road by two rival groups of villagers.
Two rival groups belonging to Hardutto and Guriyadah villages in Gokunda union of the upazila clashed over capture of a disputed land in Budhartol area on the day.
Later, both sides equipped with lethal weapons took position on the nearby Lalmonirhat-Rangpur Road and were engaged in chase and counter chase, disrupting traffic for three hours from 3:00pm.
When police reached the spot and tried to clear the road, the clashing groups swooped on them, leaving a sub-inspector and two constables of Sadar police station injured.
Police used truncheons and fired tear gas shells to disperse the unruly men and brought the situation under control. Police filed a case against 18 identified and about 150 unidentified villagers the same day on charges of attacking the law enforcers and blocking the road.
As police raid continues to nab the accused, about 400 male people of the two villages have left their homes and taken shelter at their relatives' houses in different areas, said Gokunda Union Parishad Chairman Golam Mostafa.
The chairman visited the two villages on Tuesday and requested the innocent villagers to stay at their respective houses and not to get panicked during police raid.
Jamir Uddin, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said they arrested Nazmul Islam, 35, one of the 18 identified accused, on Monday. “Police will not arrest or harass any of the innocent villagers. So, they can stay at their respective houses without fear,” the OC added.
Contacted, Police Superintendent Habibur Rahman said he has asked law enforcers not to harass innocent villagers. “I urge them not to leave their villages in fear of police arrest,” the SP said, adding that police will arrest only those who were involved in Sunday's incident.