The arson attack on a house in Narsingdi which left four members of a family, including three children, with severe burn injuries, was motivated by a land dispute between neighbours.
The incident was reportedly orchestrated by rival neighbours in Lochonpur village of Raipura upazila early Tuesday, after a failed assault attempt on the victim family.
Narsingdi Superintendent of Police Meraj Uddin Ahmed confirmed the dispute between the neighbours.
On February 6, local resident Dulal Gazi was murdered over a land dispute, for which his neighbour Samsul Hoque’s sons, Biplob and Shohag, were accused.
Subsequently, Gazi’s son Robin vandalized Samsul’s house and evicted his family members.
On April 8, after getting bail, Biplob returned home with his three sisters and aunt.
After getting the news, Robin, along with several others, planned an attack on Biplob and his sisters, according to his confessional statement in court.
Acting accordingly, in the early hours of Tuesday, they reportedly broke into their neighbours’ home and torched the house, as the family members managed to barricade themselves in a room.
The injured are homeowner Samsul Hoque’s daughters – Priti, 11, with 15% burn; Sweety, 13, with 15% burn; Muktamoni,16, with 10% burn; and their aunt, Khatun Nesa, 65, with 12% burn, said Dr Partha Shangkar Pal, burn unit physician at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
The victims were initially taken to Raipura Upazila Health Complex and then transferred to the burn and plastic surgery unit of DMCH.
Raipura police station Officer-in-Charge Mohsinul Kadir said: “Samsul’s eldest daughter, Ratna Akter, filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, on Wednesday, accusing seven men."
According to the case statement, the accused are: Dulal Gazi’s son Mahmudul Hasan Robin, 25, Shipon Mia, 35, Mamun Mia, 19, Kajol Mia, 45, Shovon Mia, 22, Al Amin Mia, 24, and Lokman Hossain, 20.
Soon after, Robin and Mamun were arrested in this connection, and they later confessed to their crimes in a written statement before a court, the OC said.
