DU students attack New Market Police Station

Students of Dhaka University’s AF Rahman Hall have attacked and vandalised the New Market Police Station and injured at least four policemen and an Ansar member.

Hundreds of students attacked the nearby station around 3pm Friday after four hall-mates were detained from in front of a restaurant. A police motorcycle was also damaged.

Eyewitnesses said the four students were detained after they assaulted a police officer over a petty argument.

The station’s Officer-in-Charge Yasir Arafat told bdnews24.com the trouble was the result of a misunderstanding between AF Rahman Hall students and Chhatra League activists and police.

“We’re trying to resolve the issue,” he said.

The injured policemen are Sub-Inspectors 'Hamid' and 'Iftekhar', Assistant Sub-Inspector 'Saifullah', Constables 'Shamim' and Ansar member 'Sabuj'.

They were admitted to the Rajarbagh Police Lines Hospital.

Witnesses said the four students were having lunch at a Nilkhet restaurant, and asked ASI Saifullah, who was at the next table, to turn off his wireless because it its unpleasant crackle.

Saifullah refused do so, and found the students waiting outside as he stepped out of the restaurant.

They got involved in an argument leading to a scuffle. Some traffic constables on duty in the area intervened and detained the students.

As the news of the detention spread, hundreds of students and Chhatra League activists from the hall attacked the police station.

The detained students were 'Nawshad', a second-year political science student, 'Mukit', a second-year student of Bangla literature, 'Sohan', a first year English literature student, and Bipul, a second-year economics student.