‘KNF man’ found shot dead in CHT
Police recovered the bullet-ridden body of a man believed to be a member of the Kuki-Chin National Front in Ruma upazila of Bandarban yesterday.
Police said the man was in KNF uniform, but his identity could not be confirmed.
Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Ruma Police Station, said a KNF gang attacked a security forces team at Artha Para and Bachlang Para in Ruma around noon on Saturday.
In retaliation, the security forces opened fire and at one stage, the KNF gang fled the scene, he said.
"The body of a KNF member was recovered from the area on [Sunday] morning. A firearm was also recovered from the spot," said the OC.
Contacted, Mohammad Mamun Shiblee, upazila nirbahi officer in Ruma, said the security forces conducted drives against KNF in the last two days.
The KNF criminals then took shelter at Munaam Para, Mualpi Para, Bachlang para, Artha para and some other adjacent neighbourhoods where the indigenous Bawm and Marma communities live.
The criminals tried to use the indigenous people as cover and opened fire at the security forces, said the UNO.
In panic, around 300 Marma people of 45 families took shelter at the Marma Welfare Association and over 50 Bawm people at Bawm Social Council Association Club's hall room in Ruma town, he said.
Local union parishad Chairman Uahlamang Marma said, "Some villagers earlier told me that KNF criminals often went to their neighbourhood and tortured them."
The security forces raided the area on Friday. Multiple gunfights took place between the security forces and KNF members in the last two days, he said, quoting locals.
Villagers left their houses and took shelter in the forests for fear of life. Then they came to the Marma Welfare Club.
"I think more people from nearby villages will come to the club in a day or two," he added.
Marma Welfare Association General Secretary Shai Pruchi said the security forces, local administration and community representatives were providing food, warm clothes, medicine and other essentials to the people.
Meanwhile, security forces in a press statement yesterday said many Marma and Bawm families of Munaam Para, Mualpi Para, and Artha Para left their houses amid KNF attacks.
"Bangladesh Army has arranged shelter for the people, who have become homeless due to KNF torture.
"Food, warm clothes, medicine and other essentials for the families have been arranged by the army," said the statement.
The KNF is trying to bring a reign of militancy and terror in the name of Bawm community people, it said.
In the last three months, Rab officials on several occasions said the KNF was training and giving shelter to the members of militant outfit Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya in the hills.
[Our correspondents from Bandarban and Rangmati contributed to this report.]
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