18 arrested, case filed after attack on police over 'suspect's rumoured death' in Barishal

Police have arrested 18 suspects, including women, in a case filed over mob attacks on officers at Agailjhara Police Station in Barishal on Thursday, after rumours had spread that a criminal suffered “custodial death.”

The suspects were nabbed in overnight operations on Friday, said Agailjhara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Masud Khan.

In total, 43 individuals, and three hundred other unnamed suspects have been accused in the case. Drives are continuing to arrest the rest of the accused, said Barishal Police Superintendent AZM Mostafizur Rahman.

He said that the detainee, who was rumoured to have died in custody, was in reality doing well while undergoing treatment at the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital. 

According to police, officers arrested Riaz Fakir, who is accused in multiple cases over drug abuse and stealing, from near the Agailjhara Filling Station on Wednesday night.

At the time of arrest, Riaz was in a state of intoxication, and he was held in a stealing case, said OC Mohammad Masud Khan.

Afterwards, at the prison cell inside the Agailjhara Police Station, Riaz Fakir hit his head against the cell’s iron bars, sustaining injuries in the process, police said.

However, his parents, Siddik Fakir and Nasrin Begum, alleged that police beat Riaz while detaining him, adding that the youth was held for no reason as he did not have any criminal record.

Riaz Fakir was first taken to the Agailjhara Upazila Health Complex, and past midnight, shifted to the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital for better treatment.

On Thursday noon, rumours spread that Riaz died in custody, raising suspicions that police had killed him.

Being agitated, Riaz’s family and locals, formed a mob of hundreds and marched towards the Agailjhara Police Station.

There they beat up officers, and vandalised the station. Police charged batons leading to a clash.

At least 12 people were injured in the violence including six policemen.