Two Daily Star journalists assaulted during clash at CU

Two reporters of The Daily Star were physically assaulted by a group while covering a series of clashes between Chittagong University students and local residents this morning.

Sifayet Ullah Sifat, staff correspondent, and Mahfuj Ahmed, CU correspondent of the newspaper, were attacked by a group of 8–10 people near Gate No. 2 area of the campus around 1:20pm.

Earlier, around 12:20pm, the two took shelter at a house in Jobra village after a fresh clash erupted between locals and CU students, as both groups chased each other while hurling brickbats.

As the situation appeared to calm down, the two came out of the house and headed towards the campus on Sifayet's motorbike when an agitated group intercepted them and asked to know their identities.

Although the two identified themselves as journalists, the locals accused them of carrying fake ID cards and began beating and kicking them.

Sifayet said: "They started beating us even after we showed our identity cards. My T-shirt was torn."

The attackers also snatched Mahfuj's cell phone.

Campus sources said the locals, equipped with wooden sticks, iron rods, and other weapons, attacked the protesting students, triggering a fresh clash near Bacha's Dokan area.

The students then started pelting brickbats, turning the whole area into a battlefield.

At least 10 students and CU Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Md Kamal Uddin were injured after being hit by bricks, they said.

The fresh clash broke out as a sequel to tensions stemming from an earlier confrontation.