Jewllers keep shutters down in Sylhet city

A group of JCD activists attacked and damaged the shop and seriously injured its two owners, witnesses and police said.

The owners, who are brothers are now undergoing treatment at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for critical head injuries. One of them was still lying unconscious when the report was filed yesterday afternoon.

At about 9:30 pm on Sunday, two JCD men parked their private car in front of Gharoni Jewellers in the city's busy Zindabazar area. Azmal Hossain, one of the shop owners, requested them to keep the car at a distance from the shop. At this, the JCD men became angry and threatened him.

Within minutes, a group of about 20 JCD menreached the spot and picked Azmal to a nearby narrow lane, witnesses said.

There, they beat him, hit him on the head with bricks and fractured one of his hands. On information, Azmal's elder brother Afzal came. The JCD men also beat him, causing head injury.

The group then looted gold ornaments and money and ransacked their shop. Panicky shopkeepers nearby downed their shutters but none came to the rescue of the two brothers, witnesses said.

The two were later taken to hospital.

Police picked up an employee of a shop as 'suspect'. Police also arrested four others yesterday afternoon in connection with the attack.

But locals said the five picked up by police were innocent people.

A case had been lodged with Kotwali police, accusing 12 people including seven JCD activists.

Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other local trade bodies in separate statements protested the attack and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.