Dinajpur (South) Correspondent :
A son was killed and his father received critical injuries during a fierce clash between the Santals [Indigenous people] and Bengali settlers at a village in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur district on Saturday.
Tension remained high there between the Indigenous people and Bengali settlers. A huge contingent of law enforcers, including police, RAB and BGB, has been deployed there to avert any further untoward incident.
The panic-stricken Indigenous people of the area, mostly males, have already fled their homes fearing further attack.
The yesterday’s clash erupted from a land dispute between the two sides. Later, the incidents of arson, vandalism and looting occurred at the houses of Indigenous people following the clash.
The dead son was identified as Md. Sohag, 30, son of Md. Jahurul Islam, 55, who also injured critically at Habibpur village under Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur. Jahurul is now being treated at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.
Villagers said, Bangali settlers set fire to 6 houses while damaged and looted 15 houses.
The fire fighters of Phulbari and Dinajpur brought the situation under control after around three hours at 12.30pm.
A Brac school of Indigenous children was also vandalised.
Police recovered the body and sent to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital for autopsy.
Police arrested 19 Indigenous people from the spot in connection with the incident.
The Indigenous people of the village, which was habitant by 56 Indigenous families, fled their homes for evading arrest and further attack, said the locals.
They said there was dispute of 18 acre lands between Md. Jahurul Islam and Indigenous people, including Joseph Tudu, Stiphen Tudu and Masrui Tudu.
‘There were chases and counter-chases between the two groups during an attempt of grabbing the land of the Indigenous people,” said Rabindranath Soren, President of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad.
Witnesses said, Jahrul Islam and his son on Saturday morning went to the land for irrigation. But the Indigenous people obstructed them. Later, they started wrangling which followed a clash there.
During the clash, Sohag died on the spot as three arrows penetrated on middle of his chest used by some Indigenous people, said the locals.
As the news reached among the Bangali settlers, they gathered and attacked the Indigenous houses at the village and continued the anarchy nearly for two hours. Around 250 to 300 people, equipped with wooden sticks, attacked the houses, torched the fire, vandalised, looted and ransacked.
Joseph Tudu claimed that their cattle, cash and tube-wells were looted.
A son was killed and his father received critical injuries during a fierce clash between the Santals [Indigenous people] and Bengali settlers at a village in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur district on Saturday.
Tension remained high there between the Indigenous people and Bengali settlers. A huge contingent of law enforcers, including police, RAB and BGB, has been deployed there to avert any further untoward incident.
The panic-stricken Indigenous people of the area, mostly males, have already fled their homes fearing further attack.
The yesterday’s clash erupted from a land dispute between the two sides. Later, the incidents of arson, vandalism and looting occurred at the houses of Indigenous people following the clash.
The dead son was identified as Md. Sohag, 30, son of Md. Jahurul Islam, 55, who also injured critically at Habibpur village under Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur. Jahurul is now being treated at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.
Villagers said, Bangali settlers set fire to 6 houses while damaged and looted 15 houses.
The fire fighters of Phulbari and Dinajpur brought the situation under control after around three hours at 12.30pm.
A Brac school of Indigenous children was also vandalised.
Police recovered the body and sent to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital for autopsy.
Police arrested 19 Indigenous people from the spot in connection with the incident.
The Indigenous people of the village, which was habitant by 56 Indigenous families, fled their homes for evading arrest and further attack, said the locals.
They said there was dispute of 18 acre lands between Md. Jahurul Islam and Indigenous people, including Joseph Tudu, Stiphen Tudu and Masrui Tudu.
‘There were chases and counter-chases between the two groups during an attempt of grabbing the land of the Indigenous people,” said Rabindranath Soren, President of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad.
Witnesses said, Jahrul Islam and his son on Saturday morning went to the land for irrigation. But the Indigenous people obstructed them. Later, they started wrangling which followed a clash there.
During the clash, Sohag died on the spot as three arrows penetrated on middle of his chest used by some Indigenous people, said the locals.
As the news reached among the Bangali settlers, they gathered and attacked the Indigenous houses at the village and continued the anarchy nearly for two hours. Around 250 to 300 people, equipped with wooden sticks, attacked the houses, torched the fire, vandalised, looted and ransacked.
Joseph Tudu claimed that their cattle, cash and tube-wells were looted.
