Police have arrested four people on charges of torturing a journalist in Sunamganj’s Tahirpur for his taking photographs of illegal sand lifting from Jadukata River.
The arrested are Mahibul Miah, 25, Taher Miah, 22, Anhar Miah, 35, and Foisal Miah, 20. They are all from Ghagtia village in Badaghat union under Tahirpur upazila.
Police arrested them in a drive conducted at 4am on Tuesday, Sunamganj Superintendent of Police (SP) Mizanur Rahman confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune.
SP Mizanur said the arrested had been identified from a video of torture on the journalist. Senior ASP Babul Akhter led the three-hour-long drive during which the four were arrested.
Further action will be taken after a filing of the case, the police official added.
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Meanwhile, a human chain was organized on Tuesday in Tahirpur demanding the arrest and exemplary punishment of those involved in the brutal torture.
The speakers at the event condemned the attack and also urged that the syndicate behind the illegal sand lifting from the river be identified and exposed.
On Monday, journalist Kamal Hossain was beaten up after being tied to a tree for taking pictures of illegal sand lifting.
He is the upazila correspondent of Dainik Sangbad and Dainik Shubho Pratidin.
According to local sources, after receiving information about the illegal extraction of sandstone from his sources, Kamal went to the spot. He took some photos of the incident.
At the time, some people, who were illegally extracting sand, pounced on him. He was later tied to a tree in nearby Ghagtia Chawkbazar and beaten again.
Later, local journalist Abir Hossain Manik and some others rescued Kamal. He is now undergoing treatment at the Tahirpur Upazila Health complex.
