Police have arrested seven people in a case filed over vandalism and arson at the shrine of Nurul Haque, also known as Nural Pagla, and attacks on law enforcers during Friday鈥檚 sporadic clashes at the shrine at Goalanda in Rajbari.
This shrine-related incident in Rajbari and another shrine-related incident in Rajshahi have prompted the authorities concerned to deploy police on a 24-hour duty at the shrine of legendary Baul mystic Lalon Shah at Cheuriya of Kumarkhali upazila in Kushtia.
Goalanda Ghat police station officer-in-charge Rakibul Islam told 抖阴精品 that seven people were arrested on Saturday and Sunday over the attacks on the shrine and police in Rajbari on Friday.
Police arrested the seven from different parts of Goalanda upazila after being confirmed about their involvement in the attack on police through video footage analysis, he added.
The arrestees are Ayat Ali Mridha of Mridapara village, Shakil and Hiru Mridha of Paniadanga village, Masud Mridha of Ujanchar, Enamul Haque of Dewanpara, Opu Kazi of Kazipara, and Md Jibon Sardar of Nounpara Mollapatti.
Earlier, on Saturday, police鈥檚 sub-inspector Selim Molla filed the case with the Goalanda Ghat police station against 3,500 unidentified people.
All have been accused of obstructing police from performing their duty, vandalising government property, and arson.
Nurul Haque, who had controversially claimed to be Islamic figure Imam Mahdi, died on August 23. His followers buried him in a raised grave designed to resemble the Kaaba, a stone building at the centre of Islam鈥檚 most important mosque and holiest site, the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah in Saudi Arabia, angering a faction of Islamists.
After the jumma prayers, several hundred people under the banner of Iman-Aqeedah Rokkha Committee held a protest rally that escalated into an attack on the shrine.
Followers of Nural Pagla retaliated, triggering clashes that left one person dead and around 50 others injured.
The deceased was identified as Russel Mollah, son of Azad Mollah from the area. He succumbed to his injuries at Faridpur Medical College Hospital.
The Islamist group set fire to the shrine of Nural Pagla and exhumed his body from the grave and set it on fire.
When police tried to intervene, they were also attacked and a police vehicle was vandalised.
Regarding Friday鈥檚 incident in Rajshahi, no case was filed till Sunday evening over vandalising and looting a Khanqah Sharif, a shrine, at Paba upazila, 抖阴精品 staff correspondent in Rajshahi reported.
Gaziur Rahman, deputy commissioner at the CTTC and additional deputy commissioner (crime and operations and media) of the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, told 抖阴精品 that none had lodged any complaint with police over the incident of attack on the Aziz Vandarir Khanqah Sharif at Panishail Chandrapukur village till Sunday evening.
鈥業f anyone lodges a complaint, we will take necessary legal actions in this regard,鈥� he added.
Contacted, Imdadul Islam, son-in-law of Aziz Vandarir Khanqah Sharif鈥檚 pir Hazrat Shah Shufi Azizur Rahman, told 抖阴精品 that police and army personnel were standing idle while the anti-shrine people vandalised and looted the Khanqah Sharif in front of them.
A mob of about 300 to 400 people vandalised and looted the shrine after the jumma (Friday congregational) prayers.
The authorities on Saturday morning initiated the security upgrade at the shrine of Lalon Shah, 抖阴精品 correspondent in Kushtia reported.
The security upgrade includes round-the-clock patrols and the presence of police personnel at the main gate of the Akhrabari, Lalon鈥檚 spiritual and cultural centre.
Police officials are working in turns to ensure uninterrupted surveillance, said assistant sub-inspector Alam Hossain.
鈥楩ollowing Friday鈥檚 incident in Rajbari, we鈥檝e been assigned here. Police will now guard the shrine round-the-clock,鈥� he said.
Kushtia superintendent of police Mizanur Rahman said, 鈥楪iven current concerns, we鈥檝e enhanced security at the Lalon shrine.鈥�
