4 more held over Santals attack in Gaibandha

Police in a drive arrested four more people for their alleged involvement in the attack on Santal people near Rangpur Sugar Mill in Gobindaganj upazila, from different parts of the upazila on Wednesday. The arrestees were identified as Shah Alam Nadu, Sohel Rana of Chak Rahimapur village in Sapmara union of Gobindaganj upazila, Miraj and Murad. Police conducted separate drives in different areas of the upazila and arrested them in the dead of night. So far, a total of 21 people have so far been arrested in connection with the attack. Meanwhile, Upazila BNP leaders alleged that police arrested their activists without any reason that forced the male residents of nine villages to flee their homes. The upazila unit BNP leaders made the allegation at a press briefing at Gobindaganj Press Club on Wednesday. Two Santal men were killed and 27 people, including nine policemen, injured in a series of clashes following an attempt by sugar mill workers of Rangpur Sugar Mill to evict the Santals from the mill area with the help of the law enforcers in Gobindaganj upazila on November 6. Swapan Murmu, a member of the indigenous community, filed a case against 600 people in connection with the attack with the police station on November 17.