Author: Our Correspondent
Publication: The Daily Star
Date: December 3, 2014
URL: http://www.thedailystar.net/ruling-party-men-swoop-on-hindus-vandalise-temple-53071

Ruling party men attacked and vandalised the houses and temple of Hindu people following a dispute over construction of a school at Donarkani village in Gournadi upazila on Monday.

At least 13 people were injured during the incident, said Gournadi police.

Yesterday, Abinash Sarkar, a retired schoolteacher, president of Donarkandi Government Primary School managing committee, filed a case, accusing 64 people in connection with the incident.

Of the accused, four were arrested, said Abul Kalam, officer in-charge of Gournadi police station.

The arrestees are Titu Mridha, Saiful Islam, Harun Molla and Kamrul Sardar of the area, he said.

Abinash said “Shaon Haoladar, an influential member of the Gournadi upazila BCL convening committee, attacked me with iron rod at 3:30pm on Monday when I protested substandard construction work of the school building by the party leader”.

Protesting the attack on Abinash, the villagers engaged in an altercation with the ruling party men, leaving four people, including Jubo League cadre Saiful Islam, injured.

Informed by Shaon, over 100 cadres of ruling party, including Shah Alam Lashkar, local leader of Dashar union Sramik League, Tipu Mridha, Arafat Sharif, local leaders of Jubo League, in three trucks later attacked and vandalised at least seven houses and a temple of Hindus in Dashar area of the village. The attackers also looted cash, gold ornaments and other valuables from the houses. 

The idols of Durga, Sarswati, Kartik, Mohadev, Ganesh, Laxmi, Ashur of the temple at Sarkar Bari, idols of Radha-Krishna at the worship rooms of Goutam Sarkar and Sushen Sarkar were damaged, said locals.  

A function arranged to observe death anniversary of the mother of Chinmoy Sarkar also came under attack.

More than 200 guests of the programme panicked by the violent incident ran away from the venue to find safe shelter, said Kanak Sarkar, a widow and witness to the incident.

Meanwhile, sub-inspector Hanasanuzzaman of Dashar police camp was asked to be closed to the district police line for his alleged negligence of duty, said police sources.