Mob attacks police convoy to snatch, assault child murder suspect in Lalmonirhat

A group of agitated people attacked the vehicles of deputy commissioner, police superintendent and a UNO in Lalmonirhat on Tuesday, to snatch a suspect in a child murder incident from police custody, and ensure “justice” against him.

The incident left at least seven government vehicles vandalised and 30 people injured, including the district police superintendent and an officer-in-charge of the local police station.

Lalmonirhat Deputy Commissioner Rashedul Haque Pradhan and Police Superintendent Asaduzzaman Asad have confirmed the mob attack took place in Falimari village, Bholabari union of Aditmari upazila.

Aditmari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nazmul Haque has already been withdrawn to help calm tensions, said Police Superintendent Asaduzzaman Asad.

However, a case will be filed against the mob nonetheless for creating obstruction on government work, Asaduzzaman added.

The public anger stems from the discovery of young girl’s corpse in a buried sack in the village on Tuesday morning.

Nandini Kanti Rai, 7, went missing on Monday afternoon, and her family and locals could not locate her until Tuesday morning.

Villagers noticed freshly disrupted soil in a corn field near Nandini’s home, and suspected foul play. They dug up the site to find Nandini’s body in a sack.

Upon being informed, police sent the body to the morgue at Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

Later, a local claimed he saw one named Bidhan Chandra Rai, 22, returning from the same corn field with a spade on Monday evening. Locals later claimed Bidhan, who police said was a fraternal uncle of the victim, had locked himself inside his house to avoid suspicions.

As suspicions grew, the agitated locals broke into the house and confined Bidhan.

Upon being alerted of the impending mob justice, a police patrol team reached the spot and took Bidhan and his father, Ranajit Kumar, under custody.

But the agitated mob was unwilling to give up Bidhan and confined the police team itself inside the house, demanding they leave “justice to the people.”

A strong police force with personnel from Sadar Police Station, Kaliganj Police Station, district’s detective branch (DB), as well as a BGB team went to the house to rescue the besieged police and pacify the angry crowd.

The local upazila nirbahi officer, BGB 15 Battalion Chief Lt Col Mehedi Imam, Deputy Commissioner Rashedul Haque, and Police Superintendent Asaduzzaman Asad were in the team.

Two units of fire service were also deployed to contain a fire at the house set by the people.

Tensions continued for three hours and the people were uncompromising. Later, police fired three rounds of sound grenades to disperse the crowd and leave the area.

People initially cleared the way, but later attacked the convoy of government and police vehicles with brick chips and sticks, vandalising at least seven key vehicles.

Police Superintendent Asaduzzaman Asad said that tensions ebbed subsequently, but noted that the police were monitoring the situation closely.