Al Man’s Death: Houses, shops of Jubo Jote leader, relatives attacked

Houses and business establishments owned by a Jubo Jote leader and his relatives were vandalised by unidentified people yesterday, hours after the death of a ruling party man, who was earlier attacked by miscreants, in Kushtia.

The deceased, Sanjay Kumar Pramanik, 35, was the president of Bheramara municipality Swechchhasebak League, an associate body of Awami League.

Sanjay, who suffered bullet and stab injuries after the attack on the night of August 2 in Bheramara, died around 8:30am yesterday while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said his younger brother Sampad Kumar Pramanik.

The day after the attack, Sanjay's wife Bithi Rani Dey filed a case against 14 people with Bheramara Police Station.

Mostafizur Rahman, sports affairs secretary of Bheramara upazila Jubo Jote -- the youth wing of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal -- was made the prime accused in the case, according to the case statement.

After the news of Sanjay's death spread across the upazila in the morning, a group of unidentified people vandalised and torched Mostafizur's office in Kacharipara area around 10:30am, according to eyewitnesses.

The attackers then rushed to his home, in the same area, and set it ablaze. A two-storey building, owned by Mostafizur's late uncle, was also vandalised.

His brother-in-law's two-storey house was also vandalised and set on fire in Rathpara area of the town.

Contacted, Mostafizur's brother-in-law Shahidul Islam said, "About 50 to 60 people came with sticks and iron rods, broke the main gate  and ransacked the house."

Later, the attackers blockaded the Kushtia-Daulatpur region road by burning tires.

On information, police rushed to spot and tried to disperse the agitators, resulting in a clash between the two groups, said locals and witnesses.

Shops, educational institutions, and several other establishments were kept shut from 10:30am to 1:00pm in Bheramara town due to violence. Vehicular movement in the area was also halted.

Contacted, Zahirul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bheramara Police Station, said, "We are investigating the incidents to find who were involved."