& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Rangpur arson victims live under sky

Pakistani citizen was among raiders on Hindus

RAFIQUE SARKER, Rangpur
Members of the eight Hindu families who suffered the Monday's arson and plunder at Adam Sarkerpara village under Pirgachha upazila in the district continue to live under the open sky, exposed to the elements including rains.
Their houses were burnt to ashes by a
group of 35 to 40 armed mobsters linked to the ruling BNP in a raid on the remote village. The bandits torched 22 houses of minority Hindus, injured 20 villagers and looted their cash, crops and cattle.
Police said the victims filed a case with Pirgachha Police Station accusing 21 including former Sawla Union
FROM PAGE 12
BNP vice president Abdul Mannan, his nephews BNP activists Raju and Saju, and one Pakistani citizen named Abdul Kaleque.
Police have arrested none of the accused except Abdur Rouf, Taju and Abdul Khaleque whom locals of nearby Powtana village caught Monday night with seven of the looted cows and handed over to them.
They were produced before a magistrate court in Rangpur yesterday, where the arrestees applied for an interim bail. But the magistrate rejected the appeal and sent them to Rangpur Central Jail.
Khaleque came back from Pakistan about one month ago. His father Abdul Aziz, also a Pakistani citizen, came and settled in the village three years ago leaving his family members in Pakistan.
Rangpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdus Samad said the rest of the accusees would surely be nabbed very soon. "They have been absconding since the incident. Police are working round the clock to trace and arrest them," the SP added.
Rangpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rafiqul Islam visited the victims at Sarkerpara yesterday morning. He expressed shock over the plunder and assured the affected families that "those involved in the deplorable crime
would surely be arrested and punished."
The DC also distributed 500kgs of rice, Tk 8,000 in cash and 25 saries among the victims and assured them of further rehabilitation aid from the government.
After returning from the spot, Islam told The Daily Star, "The situation at Sarkerpara is quite normal, as both Hindu and Muslim communities are committed to keep the situation peaceful."
"The people who committed this heinous act are neither religious nor political. They are just vicious," he added.
The condition of the injured meanwhile has improved, except of Sachhin, Abdur Rahman and Ripon whose condition remained unchanged. They were admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) on Monday night.
Five policemen have been posted at the village following the incident. But members of the raid-affected families said they were yet to feel secure as they were still being threatened.
A police source said they would seek the three arrestees on a seven-day remand to find out motives of the carnage.