10 hurt as BU students clash with cops over missing cellphone

At least ten people, including three policemen, were injured in a clash between police and students of Barisal University at Police Lines Road near its city campus yesterday afternoon following a scuffle over alleged theft of a mobile phone set.

Police fired six rounds of gunshots and eleven teargas canisters, charged batons on students and detained five of them from the spot to bring the situation under control, said Shakhawat Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station.

The detainees include Abid Hossain, Ashish Dhali and Ismail Sardar and Luthfar Rahman.

Three police personals--Firoz Hosen, Arafat Ahmed and  Satya Ranjan Kashkel--were injured when students hurled brick chips at them, he said. Arafat was admitted to Barisal Police Lines Hospital with head injuries.

BU students also attacked on Selim Ahmed, cameraman of Bangla Vision, and damaged his camera during the clash.

Witnesses said Sajib Hossain, an employee of fast food shop, Hot-Plate, was sacked by its owner allegedly for stealing a mobile phone set on Monday.

Over the issue, Sajib and his one colleague locked in a scuffle yesterday noon. Later at 4:00pm, friends of Sajib, including some BU students, tried to attack the shop. On information, police rushed in and tried to quell the situation. At one stage, the students threw brick chips at the law enforcers that led to the clash, said police.

Contacted, Shafiul Alam, proctor of the university, said the matter was not related to the university rather he said the BU authorities were trying to contact with police and the administration to release the detained students.