Police action makes Swapon's HSC exams uncertain

A Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinee in Patgram upazila is facing uncertainty about attending the examinations starting today as he has been sent to jail, after being shown arrested in a cow stealing case filed over three months ago.

Police arrested Swapon Kumar Roy, 19, an HSC examinee from Patgram Technical and Business Management College, from near their home at Bhandardah village of Jagotber union of Patgram upazila, claiming his involvement in a cow stealing incident at the village on Thursday.

But they produced him before a judicial magistrate's court on Friday morning, showing him arrested in a pending case filed on December 27 last year.

“We don't know why police arrested my son. He was never involved with any criminal activities, let alone cow stealing," said Swapon's father Subhas Chandra Roy, a farmer of the village.

"After arresting him on Thursday, police made him accused in a cattle stealing case lodged with Patgram Police Station on December 27 last year. The case was filed in connection with an incident that occurred at a village about 15 kilometres from our village,” he said. 

Swapon's HSC examinations have now become uncertain, he said, adding, “We are already facing a problem over casting our vote during the union parishad polls last year.”

Nuruzzaman Ahmed, sub-inspector (SI) of Patgram Police Station, said, "College student Swapon was caught red-handed while stealing a cow at Bhandardah village on Thursday noon, and villagers handed him over to police."

Asked why he was produced before the court in a pending case that was filed earlier on December 27, the SI said, "It was done as no case was lodged regarding Thursday's incident. Swapon was not a named accused in the pending case but his name came up in police probe later."

Oboni Shankar Kar, officer in charge of Patgram Police Station, claimed that the arrested college boy is a professional cattle lifter and police were searching him.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (Circle) Shaheed Sohrawardy said he will arrange a free and fair investigation in this regard.

Several locals including Sirajul Islam, 48, of Bhandardah village said no cattle theft incident occurred there on Thursday noon and so, there is no question of handing him over to police.

Kishore Kumar Nag, jailer of Lalmonirhat District Jail, said, according to the law he prepared documents that were sent to the district magistrate and the examination hall superintendent so that Swapon can attend his examinations starting today.