Published : 22 May 2026, 04:26 AM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 03:45 PM
Police have faced fierce resistance at Chattogram’s Bakalia after locals attempted to snatch a detained suspect accused of raping a child, leaving law enforcers stranded for hours amid tense standoffs and road blockades.
Tension erupted on Thursday afternoon and continued into the night.
Residents blocked roads using logs and burning tyres amid back-and-forth chases with police.
Even after hours at 9pm, police failed to move the detainee out of the locality.
Additional police personnel, including detective units, were deployed to bring the situation under control.
Locals alleged that a man on Abu Zafar Road had lured and raped a 3-and-a-half-year-old neighbour.
Following the allegation, they surrounded the area and obstructed police when officers arrived to arrest the suspect.
During the confrontation, residents shouted “fake, fake” at police and demanded the suspect be handed over to them.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Aminur Rashid told bdnews24.com that they are trying to arrest the suspect and take him to the police station.
Locals have been demanding that the suspect be handed over to them, he said.
“Senior officers are there. Everyone is trying to calm the locals.”
Meanwhile, two reporters of the Chattogram Pratidin newspaper, Mamun Abdullah and Nobel Hasan, were injured during the incident.
Mamun suffered serious injuries to his waist and Nobel to his hands and feet, said Editor Hossain Thoufique Ifthekher.
“Mamun was hit by a rubber bullet, and a stun grenade exploded in front of Nobel, crushing his hand.”
The two were taken to the 250-Bed General Hospital at Andarkilla, but doctors there asked for them to be sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
