Panchari Correspondent, CHT News
Monday, 16 February 2026
Armed members of the JSS Santu Group have reportedly
summoned and taken three school students hostage in Panchari, Khagrachari.
According to local sources, this morning (Monday, 16
February 2026), a commander of the militant Santu Group, Dighol Chakma (40),
reportedly called the families by mobile phone and threatened them, instructing
them to hand over Nishan Chakma (16), a 10th-grade student and son of Chokko
Chakma from Machyachara village, and Dhulo Chakma, son of Nirpon Chakma from
Mora Machyachara village, into their custody.
Later, around 10:00 AM, family members, relatives, and
village elders took the two students, Nishan Chakma and Dhulo Chakma, to the
Santu Group’s armed hideout in Logang Karlayachari. However, at that time,
armed members of the Santu Group reportedly kept the students in their custody
without holding any discussion with the elders and sent the elders and family
members back home.
Meanwhile, another student named Nirjon Chakma from
Seemana Para has also allegedly been summoned and held hostage by the Santu
Group. It is known that Nirjon Chakma’s stepfather, Bijli Kumar Chakma, is an
armed member of the JSS Santu Group.
The specific reason for detaining the school students
is not known. However, according to one source, they may have been held on
suspicion of being involved in campaigning in support of the “Horse” electoral
symbol during the national parliamentary election held on 12 February.
At the time of writing this report, none of them had
been released.
The Santu Group’s actions have reportedly caused
concern, anxiety, and anger among local residents. They have demanded the
immediate release of the detained students.
It is noteworthy that previously, on 15 February,
armed members of the Santu Group allegedly abducted a teenage boy named Sabuj
Chakma (15) from Sukhmoni Para in Logang Union. He has reportedly not yet been
released either.
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