Three police personnel, including the officer-in-charge (OC) of Daulatpur Police Station, were injured on Thursday when an angry mob attacked them as they attempted to rescue a madrasah superintendent accused of raping several students in Daulatpur upazila.
The injured officers are OC Khaledur Rahman, Assistant Sub-Inspector Nazrul Islam and Constable Azam Hossain. They received primary treatment at Daulatpur Upazila Health Complex.
The accused has been identified as Ashiqullah, 40, the Muhtamim (superintendent) of Markazul Madrasa in the Malithapara area of Khalishakundi union. He is the son of the late Qari Enamullah of the Jamdia area in Bagherpara upazila, Jashore.
According to local residents and relatives of the alleged victims, Ashiqullah had allegedly raped several students of the madrasah on different occasions. After the allegations came to light, relatives of the victims and local residents gathered at the madrasah around noon on Thursday, confined him and assaulted him.
On receiving the information, police arrived at the scene to bring the situation under control and rescue the accused. However, as officers were taking Ashiqullah into custody, the mob attacked the police team, injuring the OC and two other officers. The attackers also vandalised a police pickup van.
Confirming the incident, OC Khaledur Rahman said police had successfully rescued Ashiqullah from the agitated crowd and taken him into custody. He added that formal legal action would be initiated following an investigation if the victims’ families submitted written complaints.
