Attack on AC-Land: Over 50 sued, prime accused goes into hiding

Nawshad Ali, an alleged culprit behind illegal sand-mining in Rajshahi, went into hiding yesterday after local administration sued him and over 50 of his men for assaulting the assistant commissioner (AC-land) in Rajshahi's Bagha upazila.

Shamsul Islam, a staffer of the AC-land's office, filed the case with Bagha Police Station accusing more than 50 people including 42 accused by name, said Mohsin Ali, officer-in-charge of Bagha Police Station. Nawshad was made the prime accused in the case.

Police arrested eight of the FIR-named persons until yesterday, but could not find Nawshad, said the OC. 

“We raided his house and some other places, but could not trace him,” the police official said.

Nawshad Ali is the brother-in-law of the former Bagha municipality mayor and Awami League leader Akkas Ali.

Local people claimed that Nawshad and his group were seen playing active roles in the election campaign for the Awami League candidate in the recent parliamentary elections. However, local AL denied the claim.

Nawshad and his followers assaulted AC-land PM Imrul Qayes and three others of his staff on Saturday, when the team went on a drive against illegal sand-lifting in Harirampur area of the river Padma in the upazila.

Qayes, who was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, received severe injuries on his head, face and other parts of the body in the attack. His driver Polin was also hurt in the attack as he attempted to save the official.

Meanwhile, several hundred people formed a human chain at the upazila headquarters yesterday, condemning the attack on the government official.

Development workers, politicians, businessmen, journalists and government officials took part in the human chain. They demanded exemplary punishment of the attackers.