Two Jumma activists arrested in Mahalchari

April 20, 2011

A group of settlers in Mahalchari caught two Jumma activists and then
handed them over to the police yesterday.

According to sources, at about 5pm a group of 100 – 150 settlers from
Lemuchari cluster village stormed into the shops at Bodanala and
caught two Jummas.

They are Nitu Chakma alias Milon, 20, son of Priti Moy Chakma of
village East Kiang-ghat and Mithun Chakma, 25, son of Upendra Chakma
of village Hazachara, Kiang-ghat Union.

The former is a member of the United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF)
while the latter is an activist of the MN Larma faction of JSS.

The settlers beat them up and then handed them over to the police.

Panic gripped the Jumma villagers when the settlers made the surprise
attack. They began to run helter skelter as the marauding settlers
began searching the shops.

The settlers were also reported to have smashed a few of their own
shops to provide excuse for launching a communal attack on Jumma
villages.

Later, army and police personnel were deployed to the area.

When Sona Ratan Chakma, Chairman of Mahalchari Upazila, contacted the
police about the two Jumma activists, he was assured that they would
be released by 8am today, Wednesday.
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