News
No. 67/2012, Thursday, August
23, 2012
THE army and police have arrested three activists of the
United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF) following an attack on them by Santu
group men in Balaghata of Bandarban town.
According
to sources, in the evening today a group of Santu Larma faction of the JSS from
Kulukghyong Para attacked UPDF members in Balaghata.
‘They
beat a number of our men and tried to beat me as well.’ Choton Kanti
Tanchangya, chief organizer of UPDF Bandarban unit told chtnews.com.
‘When
I knew that the Santu group men were coming to attack us, I informed the local
administration about it and sought their help for protection, but the police
took no action against the attackers. They remained happy spectators when the
terrorists were beating my colleagues.’ he further said.
He
said the attackers had run away only when the common people came forward to
resist them.
Following
the attack, at 9:15pm a team of army
and police carried out a joint raid in Balaghata and detained 3 UPDF activists
from there. They are Bikram Tanchangya, Protim Chakma and Bijoy Marma.
The
army also reportedly rounded up some Santu group terrorists from Kulukhyong
Para.
Choton
Kanti Tanchangya condemned the attack and the subsequent arrest of 3 UPDF
members by police, saying ‘there is no justification for their arrest.’
‘It
makes no sense that the victims of an attack should be arrested along with the
attackers’, he added.
He
demanded that they be released immediately and unconditionally.
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