Two probes have been ordered into the death of three people in police firing at Kalihati in Tangail district on Friday, officials said yesterday. Md Mahbub Hossain, deputy commissioner of Tangail, said the district administration will lead one of the investigations. Another five-member police team, led by additional DIG Mohammad Ali, will conduct a separate probe, the DC told reporters at Kalihati Police Station, the site of Friday’s fatal firing.  Three persons—Shaheem, Farook and Shaymol—were killed when cops fired on a mob protesting against alleged police inaction in a rape and torture case. Mahfuzul Hoque Nuruzzaman, DIG of Dhaka range, said the accused cops have been kept at Tangail Police Lines. He also said the local administration had handed over the bodies of the deceased to family members at 3.30 pm, following autopsies at Tangail Medical College Hospital (TMCH). The hospital’s RMO, Dr Ashraf Ali, confirmed the three were killed by bullet wounds.
On his part, the Tangail DC termed the incident as most unfortunate and sad, and declared a compensation of Tk 50,000 for each of the bereaved families. He also assured that the government will rehabilitate the victims’ families and also bear the expenses for the treatment of those injured. They will be treated at the one-stop centre of TMCH with the help of the women affairs department of Tangail. Notwithstanding the assurances of justice and compensation, the family members of the three victims were inconsolable yesterday. They demanded the harshest punishment for the guilty policemen. “Shaheem was supposed to go to Saudi Arabia for work after Eid. But now all has come undone,” wailed Shaheem’s mother, beating her chest.
The scene was equally pathetic at the house of Farook, who is survived by his old mother, wife and a disabled son.
Shyamol’s father Robi Das said his son was a barber by profession. “My son was the only earning member in the family. Now, who will look after me in this old age?” said Robi, tears streaming down from his eyes.
Trouble had first erupted on Tuesday when Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Satutia village, accused Al-Amin, a 17-year-old youth from Ghatail, of eloping with his wife. Rafiqul called Al-Amin and his mother Shahara Begum, 35, to his house on the pretext of talking over the matter.
Rafiqul and his relatives stripped Al-Amin and his mother. Rafiqul then dragged Shahara into a room and allegedly raped her. The accused then assaulted and tortured the mother and son. Witnesses alleged that though they informed Kalihati Police Station, the policemen took a long time to come and rescue the victims. They alleged that police were dragging their feet in the case because the main accused was an influential person.
However, SI of Kalihati Police Station Abul Basar refuted the charge. He said police had rescued the victims and admitted them to Ghatail hospital. The SI added that Shahara has lodged a complaint at Kalihati Police Station and they have arrested the prime accused. UNB adds: Seven policemen have been suspended in connection with Friday’s ‘police firing’ on some demonstrators in Kalihati “Three sub-inspectors and four constables have been withdrawn and a 3-member probe committee headed by Additional DIG Md Alamgir Alam has been formed to investigate the incident,” Deputy Inspector General (Dhaka Range) SM Mahfuzul Haque Nuruzzaman told UNB on Saturday. The committee was asked to submit its report within a week.