A Hindu temple priest was hacked to death and a devotee shot in an attack by some miscreants in Deviganj upazila on Sunday morning. Police and witnesses said some miscreants who came in a motorbike set off several crude bombs at Sonto Gourir Moth on the western side of the Karatoa River in the upazila headquarters around 7 am. As priest Jogeshwar Roy, 50, came out of the temple, the miscreants swooped on him and hacked him to death with a sharp weapon. They also fired gunshots on Gopal Chnadra Roy,35, a devotee, when he tried to flee, leaving him injured. Another devotee, Netai Pod Das,40, suffered injuries as the assailants hurled crude bombs at him when he came forward in aid of the priest. Gopal’s mother Chirta Rani,60, fell sick following the attack. Gopal was whisked off to Rangpur Medical College Hospital while Netai and Chirta Rani were admitted to the Upazila Health Complex. Meanwhile, police arrested a suspect, Khalilur Rahman of Debidura village, in connection with the incident, said officer-in-charge (Investigation) of Deviganj Police Station Ayub Ali. He also said a case was filed with around 9pm. Victim’s brother Rabindra Chandra Roy filed the case. -Panchagarh, Feb 21 (UNB)
