Chittagong, Feb 11 (bdnews24.com)—Police have filed two cases accusing more than 800 unnamed miscreants over the vandalism and arson attack of several Hindu temples at Hathazari and blockade of Chittagong-Rangamati highway.
Hathazari Police Station sub-inspector Jashim Uddin filed the two cases on Saturday morning.
The station's officer-in-charge (OC) Samiul Alam said one case was filed under the explosives act over the vandalism and arson while the second one lodged for barricading the highway and attacking the police.
Locals and police said the Hindus in the area had taken out a procession to celebrate the founding anniversary of Loknath Sebasram Thursday morning. They used microphone and drums in the procession.
While passing a mosque, Muslims in the mosque forbade them to play drums. At a point, someone hurled a brick bat on the procession. An altercation took place at once, which turned into chase and counter-chase when someone from the procession responded by throwing a brickbat.
Vandalism and arson of a number of Hindu temples from Nandirhat to Hathazari Sadar upazila followed from Thursday evening to Friday noon. Locals claimed the violence was incited by religious bigots of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir.
Tensions that boiled over into violence originated Thursday morning following rumours that a mosque had been attacked, Hindus claimed.
Another group of people took to the Chittagong-Rangamati road blocking traffic from Nandirhat to Hathazari Sadar upazila around 11am Friday alleging that a mosque was attacked. They also said their Friday prayers on the road.
The local administration imposed a section 144 banning gatherings from Friday afternoon fearing that the situation might get out of hand.
The situation is now under control. Police are patrolling the areas, the OC added.
Executive officer of Hathazari upazila Sheikh Farid Ahmed said, "The section 144 was withdrawn in the morning after the situation improved."
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