Vandalism of Cox’s Bazar puja mandap: SC orders 4 accused to surrender to lower court

The Supreme Court today directed four accused in a case filed over vandalism of puja mandaps in Cox's Bazar to surrender to the lower court concerned in a week.

Chamber Judge of the SC's Appellate Division Justice Obaidul Hassan also stayed a High Court order that granted them anticipatory bail in the case.

The four accused in the case are Cox's Bazar's Pekua union Parishad Chairman and local BNP leader Bahadur Shah, local Jubo Dal leader Kamran Zahid and local BNP activists Sajjad and Shahnewaz Azad.

The apex court chamber judge passed the order following a petition filed by the state challenging the HC order of bail.

Deputy Attorney General Bishwajit Debnath told The Daily Star that the SC chamber judge stayed the HC order of anticipatory bail as the four are accused of a crime of heinous nature.

Puja mandaps were vandalised and damaged at Pekua union in Cox's Bazar in continuation of the violence in Cumilla on October 13, during Durga Puja celebrations.

The case was filed against the accused on October 15 and the HC granted them anticipatory bail on October 28 till December 5 in the case, he said.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin appeared for the state while Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal stood for the accused.