News No. 08/2018 : Monday, January 22, 2018,
FOUR activists of the United Peoples’ Democratic Front (UPDF) were
arrested by army from Alutila Punorbashon area as they went there to prevent
illegal rock extraction by unscrupulous businessmen.
‘UPDF activists were preparing to hold a meeting with the
villagers to raise consciousness about negative environmental impact of rock
extraction from streams and rivulets when the army encircled the area’, a UPDF
leader told chtnews.com.
‘Apparently, those involved in the rock extraction business might
have tipped the army off about the presence of the UPDF activists’, he added.
The UPDF members – Robi Joy Chakma, Mishon Chakma, Anupom Chakma
and Rupok Barua – were tortured badly and then handed them over to the police.
The army placed guns in their hands to show that they had
recovered firearms from them.
The arrested UPDF activists are now being treated at Khagrachari
Sadar Hospital for injuries they sustained from torture.
———–