Arson attack

Criminals burned down more than 100 houses of Pullpara village under Sadar upazila in Chapainawabganj yesterday afternoon over previous enmity.
Samija Khatun and Parvin Akhtar, villagers of Pullpara where mostly day labourers and the poor reside, said around 200 people of Alinagar area in the municipality equipped with sharp weapons and bamboo sticks had come to their village around 5:00pm and set their houses afire.
They had also looted valuables and taken away cattle, the villagers alleged, claiming that the attackers had barred the firefighters from entering the village.
Police confirmed the incident and said the attackers exploded several hand bombs to create panic in the area.
A police personnel sustained injuries from hand bomb, said Ohidul Islam, assistant superintendent of Chapainawabganj police headquarters.
On information, police rushed to the spot, fired rubber bullets and teargas canisters to bring the situation under control, he added.
Later, firefighters managed to reach the spot and doused the blaze around 6:30pm.
Earlier on April 15, people of Alinagar beat up a teenager Ripon of Hossaindaying village in the upazila critically who succumbed to his injuries at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on April 17, police said quoting locals.
Following the death, people of Hossaindaying beat Abdul Halim, 25, of Alingar, dead on April 21.
People from different villages in the upazila staged a sit-in programme in front of the deputy commissioner's office in Chapainawabganj town on April 17, demanding immediate arrest of terrorists, snatchers and drug peddlers.
The protesters also submitted a memorandum to lawmaker Abdul Odud of Chapainawabganj sadar constituency.
They alleged that some young criminals of Bhutpukur, Ushkathi Para and Alinagar under municipality area had been involved in snatching money, stalking girls of neighbouring Babudaing, Hossaindaying, Pullpara and some other villages on a regular basis.