Toll demanded in name of JMB in Sirajganj

The criminals also looted cash and valuables worth Tk 2.40 lakh from the house of Jabed Ali, a teacher of Singrabari High School.

As Jabed Ali filed a case accusing 40 people the gang started pressing him to withdraw it. They also issued death threat in case of non-compliance. They also asked 14 neighbouring families of the teacher not to be witnesses in the case. Otherwise, they would face abduction and death, they threatened. They also threatened to abduct their wards.

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Following the threat, many people fled homes in fear of attack by the criminals.

Jabed Ali yesterday sought safety and security of life from police and local authorities telling the tale to the newsmen.

A villager on condition of anonymity, told this correspondent that the people who have been threatened by the miscreants are teachers, businessmen, lawyers, doctors and solvent farmers. However, none of them filed any case in fear of harassment and reprisal by the criminals.

Another schoolteacher said that most of the guardians have stopped sending their wards to schools and colleges.

When contacted, Kazipur Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Lenin Alamgir told said the miscreants have gone into hiding after several drives launched by police.

In reply to a query, he claimed that there is no existence of any Islamist outfit in his area.