Staff Reporter:
Border guards were deployed on Friday after an angry mob beat two construction workers to death following a fire in a temple in Dumain union under Madhukhali upazila of the district, authorities said.
Five more workers who sustained severe injuries in the mob attack, have been undergoing treatment in a local hospital.
A tense situation has been prevailing in the area since last night’s incident with all male members belonging to the Hindu community fled their homes, local administration said.
The deceased were identified as Ashraful, 21, and his younger brother Ashadul, 15, sons of Shahjahan Khan of Ghoperghat village under Naowarpara union of the upazila.
Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Md Qamrul Ahsan Talukdar said a fire broke out at Kali idols of the Barwari temple in Hindu-dominated Panchpalli village on Thursday evening.
Hindu residents became angry over the incident and they locked seven workers on suspicion of their involvement in the desecration of the idols.
The workers were constructing a wash block at Panchapalli Government Primary School, 20 yards off the temple.
On information, Madhukhali police and upazila administration officials rushed to the spot but the mob also confined them, the official said. With the help of Faridpur District Sadar and Rajbari District Police, the besieged people were rescued after a few hours.
Seven workers were rescued with injuries, four of them in a state of unconsciousness. The injured were taken to Madhukhali Upazila Health Complex and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital in Faridpur, the DC said, adding that two of the injured succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, three platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members led by a magistrate were deployed along with police to ease the tensions in the Dumain area, he said.
According to the DC a three-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
District Superintendent of Police Md Morshed Alam said they fired blank shots to bring the situation under control as hundreds of people took part in the attack. Several policemen were injured by the brickbats hurled by the agitators.
No arrests have been made in this connection and the situation is currently under their control. Police will remain deployed until the situation returns to normal, the SP said.
One of the injured workers Liton Mollah said noticing the fire they also took part in extinguishing it along with the locals. But the agitated people suspected the workers and tied their hands and feet and beat them up.
A large number of angry people attacked them with sticks, rods and bricks. They vandalised the doors and windows of the school, he narrated.
Local Dumain union parishad chairman said being informed from Ajit Babu, a member of ward number 1, he rushed to the spot and found thousands of people and tried to calm them. But it seemed that the situation was beyond control.
The chairman said he then informed the administration and the UNO who could bring the situation under control.
