A group of youths opened fire on the devotees at a Shia mosque in Shibganj upazila, Bogra during the Maghrib prayers yesterday, killing the muezzin and injuring three others.
Police and witnesses said at least 20 devotees were performing the evening prayers at Imam Khomeni Shia Mosque, also known as Al Mostafa Jame Mosque, at Haripur village of the upazila when a group of three to four miscreants stormed into the mosque jumping over the boundary wall.
They shot at the devotees indiscriminately and ran away, injuring the mosque’s muezzin Moazzem Hossain, 70, from Haripur, imam Shahinur Islam, 35, and Aftab Ali, 42, from Chakkanu village, and Abu Taher, 70, from Aladipur village.
Moazzem was hit with bullets in his head, Shahinur was hit in his waist, and Taher and Aftab in their legs, sources told the Dhaka Tribune.
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On information, a police team led by Bogra Superintendent of Police Asaduzzaman rushed to the scene and took the injured men to Shibganj Upazila Health Complex.
From there, Moazzem, Shahinur and Taher were taken to Shahid Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital where Moazzem was declared dead.
The attack took place a month after two people had been killed as miscreants hurled hand grenades at a Tazia procession of the Shia Muslims in Old Dhaka, on the occasion of Ashura on November 24.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, injured Shahinur said: “We were praying when they launched the attack on us. Others inside the mosque were not harmed as they quickly lay down on the floor.”
Locals said that they were in a state of panic in the area after the incident. Additional police members were deployed at the village to avert further untoward situation.
During primary investigation, police found eight bullet shells on the spot.
Bogra Deputy Commissioner Md Ashraf Uddin visited the spot, and gave Tk20,000 for the burial of muezzin Moazzem and Tk10,000 for each of the injured.
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