Sunamganj mayhem: Police, not Hefajat, file DSA case against Jhumon

Six days into the arrest of Jhumon Das Apon for his Facebook post, allegedly criticising Hefajat-e-Islam leader Mamunul Haque, police filed a case against him under Digital Security Act on Monday.

Md Abdul Karim, a sub-inspector of Sunamganj's Shalla Police Station, filed the case with the station, mentioning Jhumon as the lone accused, the police station's Officer-in-Charge Najmul Huq told The Daily Star this morning.

Police, however, earlier said that Hefajat leaders will file a case against him, reports our Sylhet correspondent.

"After detaining him, local Hefajat leaders told us that they will be filing a case. But as they didn't and we've already produced Jhumon under section 54 of CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code), we had to file a regular case against him," the OC said.

"We've informed the court about the case yesterday (Wednesday) and have shown Jhumon arrested in the case. Now the court will move the legal procedure," he said.

On March 15, Hefajat-e-Islam Bangladesh organised a rally in Sunamganj's Derai upazila and the next day, Jhumon of Shalla upazila allegedly gave a Facebook post criticising Mamunul Haque.

After Hefajat activists demonstrated at Dharain bazar over the Facebook post, locals caught Jhumon and handed him over to police to avert further tension.

However, the next morning, a mob gathered again and Hefajat supporters vandalised, looted 90 Hindu houses in the areas.

Two separate cases -- one by the local union chairman and another by police -- were filed and 35 persons have been arrested till today in connection with the attack so far.