18 arrested in Barishal over Agailjhara Police Station attack after custody death rumour
Police made the arrests a day after a clash broke out at the police station over rumours that a theft case accused had died in custody.
Police have arrested 18 people in connection with the attack, vandalism, and assault on police personnel at Agailjhara Police Station in Barishal, where a clash broke out yesterday (9 July) after rumours spread that a theft case accused had died in custody.
Barishal Superintendent of Police AZM Mostafizur Rahman said police filed a case against 43 named individuals and more than 200 unidentified people in connection with the incident.
"We are conducting drives to arrest the remaining accused. Additional police have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order," he said.
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The SP said police were reviewing CCTV footage and other evidence to identify those involved.
He also said that overnight raids continued until this morning to arrest the suspects.
Yesterday, a clash took place at the police station after a rumour spread in Agailjhara that Riaz Fakir, who was arrested in a theft case on 8 July, had died in police custody.
Following the rumour, Riaz's relatives and hundreds of locals gathered at Agailjhara Police Station and allegedly attacked the station, assaulted police personnel, and vandalised property. Police later used batons to disperse the crowd. At least 12 people, including six police personnel, were injured in the clash.
Referring to CCTV footage, police said Riaz injured himself by repeatedly hitting his head against the lockup's iron bars and fell unconscious before he was taken to Agailjhara Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal.
Riaz's mother, Nasrin Begum, alleged that police picked up her son from the street without any reason and assaulted him, leaving him critically injured.
