Villagers flee homes in Meherpur as police round up 36

Earlier on the day, SM Hiron, the injured constable, filed a case with Gangni police station accusing 60 people of the village.

A team from Gangni thana led by the OC Abdul Khalek, cordoned the village, raided houses and arrested the people, creating panic among people of Bharat and adjoining villages.

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The indiscriminate arrest forced many villagers to flee homes, locals alleged. According to source, OC Abdul Malek and constable Hiron were injured in a gunfight between a police team and cadres of outlawed 'Banglar' Communist Party (BCP-Laltu) on Sunday.

The gunfight erupted when, being tipped-off, a police team led by OC Malek went to raid a house in the village, expressly to nab the outlaws at about 9.45:pm Sunday. At one stage the outlaws fled the scene.

Latter Rab members rushed to the area and arrested six of the outlaws. But they declined to disclose the names of the arrestees.

Meherpur Police Superintendent Awlad Hossain narrated the incident to journalists soon after it took place.

Talking to journalists many villagers alleged the case was filed only to harass innocent people.

They demanded withdrawal of the case and arrest of the real culprits.