17 houses of local thugs torched
Agitating people torched 17 houses and two shops belonging to some local drug peddlers, backed by the ruling party, in Kaliganj upazila sadar in Jhenidah Thursday night.
Locals led the arson attack after Rabiul Islam, a drug peddler and ruffian of brickfield area, beat up BNP activist Masum Parvez, 28, in the upazila sadar that night.
Injured critically Masum, son of local BNP leader Shamsul Islam of Nimtala village in the upazila, is now under treatment at Jessore sadar hospital.
Witnesses said Rabiul and his gang picked a fight over previous political rivalry with Masum in front of Sri Laxmi cinema hall and beat him up with iron rods and batons.
Later agitating people set afire the houses of Rabiul and his accomplices. The damage caused by the fire is estimated at Tk 50 lakh, said Lutfor Rahman, a firefighting official.
Officer-in-charge (OC) Faruk Hossain of Kaliganj Police Station said Rabiul has been doing unsocial activity for long, and is a big drug trader in the upazila.
Months ago Rabiul injured a sub-inspector (SI) of the police station after the hooligan was caught red handed while selling heroin.
A freedom fighter of the area, who declined to be named, said Rabiul is a top drug peddler of Kaliganj upazila and they are "afraid of his torture".
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