DHAKA: Three indigenous people died of their injuries at a hospital in Khagrachhari Thursday (Sept 19) and early Friday (Sept 20), hours after arson attacks and violence in the district.
Dhananjoy Chakma, 50, Rubel Tripura, 25, and Junan Chakma, 20, died while undergoing treatment at Adhunik Sadar Hospital.
Dhananjoy died Thursday night, and the two other victims died around 1.30am Friday.
Dhananjoy suffered injuries in Dighinala, while Rubel and Junan were hurt in Khagrachhari Sadar during the violence that broke out Thursday afternoon. Hospital sources said Rubel and Junan suffered bullet injuries.
Confirming the deaths, Chattogram Range Police's Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ahsan Habib Palash told The Daily Star Friday morning, "The bodies will be handed over to their respective families after the legal procedures.
"Police and security forces are jointly patrolling [the affected areas] to keep the situation under control."
Adhunik Sadar Hospital's Residential Medical Officer (RMO) Ripal Bappi Chakma told our local correspondent: "Nine persons, who came from Dighinala and Sadar upazila, are now undergoing treatment at the hospital.
"Apart from them, four injured people were referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for better treatment."
The hospital sources said the four who were sent to CMCH suffered bullet wounds.
They were shot in the leg, waist and abdomen, the sources said.
At least 30 houses and business establishments belonging to indigenous people came under arson attacks in Khagrachhari's Dighinala upazila Thursday.
In Dighinala area, people were moving to safer places with their families last night to escape the violence, according to locals.
DIG Palash said, "Gunshots were heard in Khagrachhari town Thursday night.
"A tense situation has been prevailing there, but our police have been jointly patrolling with the security forces. We have been giving our highest effort."
Khagrachhari district's Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Sahiduzzaman told The Daily Star, "Gunshots were heard from several areas. Our teams have been working to maintain law and order situation in Khagrachhari."
The attacks followed the death of a Bangali man, Md Mamun, in a mob beating on charges of stealing a motorbike in Khagrachhari town on Wednesday morning.
Protesting the killing, a group of Bangali settlers brought out a procession in Dighinala upazila headquarters Thursday afternoon, many of them delivering provocative speeches, witnesses said.
According to a witness from an indigenous community, there were heated arguments between Bangalis and indigenous people.
Soon afterwards, there was an announcement made over the loudspeakers of a local mosque that indigenous people had attacked settlers.
Immediately, several hundred people gathered there and started attacking indigenous people and torching their business establishments, the witness told The Daily Star over phone Thursday evening.
When contacted Thursday, former Dighinala upazila parishad chairman Dharma Joyti Chakma confirmed the arson attacks but could not specify how many houses and establishments were targeted.
He said the situation escalated when the settlers beat up a coconut hawker from an indigenous community. - The Daily Star/ANN
