News
No. 79/2012, Saturday, September
08, 2012
ONE person is missing after Naniachar Bazaar Fund toll
collectors attacked a group of Jumma traders bound for Rangamati in a motorized
country boat early in the morning today.
The Jumma traders – Gyanendu Chakma, 36, son of Kali Kumar
Chakma, Prosonno Kumar Chakma, 65 and Ritu Chakma, 35 – were on their way to
Rangamati market to sell fruits.
They were traveling from their village Karallyachari in
Sabekhyong Union in a motrorized country boat.
When they reached a place near Old Bazaar in Naniachar at
4am, a group of youths identifying themselves as employees of Naniachar Bazaar
Fund halted them and demanded toll from them.
As the Jumma traders refused to pay the money, the toll
collectors attacked Gyanendu Chakma and Ritu Chakma with sticks, beating them
severely.
However, they spared Prosonno Chakma apparently for his old
age.
They hit Gyanendu Chakma in the head, making him fall in
the Kaptai Lake
unconscious.
He remains missing till the filing of this report at 8pm.
“We already crossed Naniachar bazaar, but some Bengalis in
a boat overtook us from behind, halted us and demanded that we pay them money,”
Ritu Chakma, who is now undergoing medical treatment in Naniachar hospital,
told chtnews.com.
‘But it is illegal since we were not selling anything at
Naniachar bazaar,’ he added.
He has also complained of hearing difficulties after the
beating.
The police arrested Al Amin Hawlader son of Latif Hawlader
in connection with the incident, but other accused managed to give the police
the slip.
They are Helal, Mofiz son of Aziz, Laxman Das, Nantu Dey son
of Swapan Dey, Kabir son of Hassan, Sujon Das and Rigen Chakma son of Sudhen
Chakma.
A settler woman, who witnessed the incident, has reportedly
testified to the police in the evening.
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