Two held for stabbing baby girl over land dispute

Detectives yesterday arrested two accused in the case for stabbing a 17-month-old baby girl over land dispute in Nandail upazila of the district on March 13.

The arrestees are Johirul Islam, 20, and Shah Alam Sourav, 30. DB police arrested them from Gazipur district. They are nephews of prime accused Md Shahjahan, alias Puitya Shahjahan.

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Shahjahan stabbed Bithi Akhter, daughter of his neighbour day labourer Deen Islam, at Chandipasha village in the upazila.

The victim is now undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) and her condition has improved, said Md Ataur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Nandail Police Station.

Deen Islam lodged a case with Nandail Police Station the same day, accusing Shahjahan and 10 others.

On information, a team of the detective branch (DB) of police led by Sub-Inspector Mofizul Islam raided Shahpara area in Gazipur district around 4:00am and arrested Johirul and Sourav, said Imarat Hossain Gazi, officer-in-charge of DB, Mymensingh.

The arrestees were being interrogated at DB office as of filing of this report at 5:00pm yesterday. Drives are on to arrest the prime suspect, the OC of DB added.

Police said there was a longstanding conflict between Deen Islam and Md Shahjahan over nine decimals of land.

Deen Islam built a tin-shed house on the disputed land a couple of days ago, but Shahjahan and his men vandalised it. When Deen Islam went to rebuild the house there around 11:00am on Sunday, Shahjahan and his men went there and locked in an altercation with him, police said.

At one stage, Shahjahan and his followers tried to hit Deen Islam with sharp weapons, but he fled the scene.

As the attackers did not find Deen Islam, they entered his house and snatched his daughter Bithi from Sharifa Khatun, a neighbour of Deen Islam, and took her outside the house. Shahjahan then stabbed the girl in her abdomen, leaving her critically injured.