A case has been filed in connection with the rape of a four-year-old child in the Bakalia area of Chattogram. The victim’s father, Mehedi Hasan, filed the case on Thursday night, naming the arrested individual, Monir, as the accused.
Hossain Mohammad Kabir Bhuiyan, deputy commissioner (DC-South) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), confirmed the matter on Friday afternoon. He added that two additional cases are under process regarding the vandalism of a police vehicle and obstruction of police duties.
The unrest began on Thursday afternoon in the Chairman Ghat area of Bakalia after a local decoration worker allegedly attempted to rape the child. As news of the incident spread, an angry mob surrounded a building called ‘Bismillah Mansion’ at approximately 4pm, even attempting to break its collapsible gate to reach the suspect.
Upon receiving the information, police arrived at the scene, sent the child to the hospital for treatment, and attempted to take the accused into custody. However, the locals blocked the police and demanded that the suspect be handed over to the crowd.
The police remained surrounded from 4:30pm until late into the night.
To bring the situation under control, police fired tear gas and sound grenades at around 8:00 pm. This led to repeated clashes as locals hurled brickbats at the officers, turning the entire area into a “battlefield.”
By 11pm, additional police forces were deployed. To safely evacuate the suspect to the police station, the authorities reportedly disconnected the electricity in the area and dressed the accused in a police uniform.
During this process, police fired blank shots and used further tear gas and sound grenades. A section of the protesters set fire to a police vehicle during the chaos.
DC Bhuiyan further noted that seven individuals have been detained for obstructing police work. He added that if the relevant authorities do not file a case regarding vandalism at the community centre, the police will act as the plaintiff and file the case themselves.
