Several armed miscreants shot a young man named Muhammad Arafat, 26, and fled the scene in Chattogram’s Hathazari. The incident occurred on Monday in Baruapara hatchery area of South Madarsha Union in the upazila.
Arafat, a resident of Abdur Rashid Tendle’s house in the neighbouring Burishchar Union, was rescued by local residents and admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Hospital sources confirmed that he was shot in the face.
Kazi Md Tareq Aziz, the additional superintendent of Police (Hathazari Circle) of Chattogram District, said the attackers had fled before police could reach the spot. He added that the police are actively working to identify the attackers and ascertain the cause of the incident.
According to local residents, several armed men chased Arafat from Madunaghat Bazar area on Monday afternoon. They caught up with him in the Baruapara Hatchery area, roughly half a kilometre away, shot him, and quickly fled the scene.
The sound of gunfire triggered widespread panic in the surrounding area.
Muhammad Nazim Uddin, a member of Ward No. 6 of South Madarsha Union Parishad, reported that he rushed to the spot after hearing the gunshots and receiving reports from locals, but found no one there.
He later learnt from local residents that several individuals had shot Arafat of Madunaghat and fled. Nazim Uddin suspected that the attack might have been caused by a local dispute.
The Madunaghat Police Outpost is situated approximately half a kilometre from the incident site.
Outpost Inspector Ibrahim Ahmed said police dispatched to the scene upon receiving news of the shooting. He added that local residents had already taken the injured youth to the hospital, and detailed information is being gathered.
Meanwhile, Upal Chowdhury, the registrar of the Casualty Department of Chattogram Medical College Hospital, said Arafat is currently admitted. He confirmed that the youth was shot in the face, but the injury is not serious.
He added that the wound might have been caused by a rubber bullet or pellets, and no other injuries were found on his body.
Police have said an investigation is currently underway to identify the attackers and discover the actual cause behind the incident, with information being gathered from the spot and surrounding areas.
