Two policemen were identified for their direct involvement in setting fire to houses of Santals during the eviction drive in Gobindaganj upazila, according to probe reports submitted by the police administration. Deputy inspector general of police (DIGP) (Rangpur Range) Khondoker Golam Faruque and additional DIGP Chowdhury Manjurul Kabir yesterday (Thursday) submitted two separate probe reports before the High Court (HC) through the attorney general's office. The two identified policemen are Gaibandha Detective Branch sub-inspector Mahbubur Rahman and Gaibandha Police Lines' constable Md Sazzad Hossain. Deputy attorney general Motahar Hossain Saju presented the reports before the HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath for its order. The HC bench is likely to pass an order on the reports on Sunday.
Both the probe reports mentioned that apart from SI Rahman and constable Hossain, several other law-enforcers and civilians were involved in setting fire to the houses, but they could not be identified.
In his report, DIGP Faruk said the police administration had suspended the two policemen and departmental action would be taken against them.
Additional DIG Kabir's report said involvement of the two policemen in setting fire to houses of Santhals had been proved during investigation.
The police reports come after a judicial probe, led by Gaibandha's chief judicial magistrate, concluded that policemen were involved in the incident.
Following the judicial report, the HC had on February 7 ordered the government to withdraw the superintendent of police (SP) and all other police personnel on duty there that day. It had also ordered the inspector general of police and DIG (Rangpur Range) to file reports within four weeks on the video footage of the arson that emerged on the Internet showing policemen setting houses on fire.
The reports submitted to the HC yesterday was in keeping with that order.
On January 30, the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) of Gaibandha submitted the probe report before the HC. The CJM stated that it was found in the video footage, telecast by the Doha-based Al Jazeera channel, that some policemen and two civilians were setting fire to Santal houses during eviction.
Policemen in uniform were also seen and they did not try to douse the fire, the report added. On December 14, the HC directed the CJM of Gaibandha to investigate who were involved in setting fire to Santal shanties during the eviction drive on November 6. It also directed the magistrate to inquire whether policemen were involved in the arson attack and submit the investigation report to the court within 15 days.
The HC bench came up with the directives after hearing two writ petitions seeking action against the attackers. On November 6, a clash ensued among indigenous people, workers of Rangpur Sugar Mills and the police following an attempt by the sugar mill workers to evict the Santals from the mill area. The clash left three Santals dead, 20 injured and several hundred homeless.