House set afire 'to grab land'
Criminals attacked the house of a rickshaw-van puller and set it afire allegedly for grabbing his homestead at Saptibari village under Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district on Saturday night.
Villagers said a gang of 20 to 25 led by Saptibari union Jubo league activist Zahidul Islam swooped on the house of Sirajul Islam at around 8:00pm and set fire to it.
The gang also beat up Sirajul and his family members, leaving at least 10 people injured. Of them, Sirajul's wife Manju Ara Begum, 28, sisters-in-law Arzina Begum, 26, and Lipy Begum, 24, were admitted to Aditmari Upazila Health Complex while the rest given first aid.
Hearing the news, villagers rushed to the spot, chased the gang and caught Zahidul and his four accomplices--Ratan Boshuniya, Joynal Abedin, Liton Boshuniya, and Saiful Islam--and later handed them to police.
Villagers said the attackers belong to Jubo League Saptibari unit and gang leader Zahidul was earlier sentenced to jail for criminal activities. But police could not confirm the political identity of the attackers.
Rickshaw-van puller Sirajul filed a case with Aditmari Police Station yesterday morning.
Sirajul alleged that Zahidul had earlier put pressure on him to sell his homestead, but he did not bow to pressure.
Protesting the attack on Sirajul's house, villagers yesterday held a meeting and demanded exemplary punishment to the attackers.
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