Students attack Uttara West Police Station over detention of three peers

Police say students outside the station were demanding the release of their three peers

উত্তরা পশ্চিম থানা। ফাইল ছবি

A group of students has attacked Uttara West Police Station in Dhaka in a bid to secure the release of three others detained there.

The incident, which also involved allegations of police personnel being beaten, occurred on Tuesday evening.

AKM Emranul Haque Maruf, assistant commissioner (airport zone) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Uttara Division, said around 9:45pm: "Before we could communicate with the students after detaining the three, they [the agitated students] were already on their way.

“The deputy commissioner is speaking with them and looking into the matter."

When contacted on the official number at the station, the officer on duty, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: “There was an attack around 7:30pm. Some boys came, but they left afterwards.”

Another police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told bdnews24.com that three people identified with single names —Akash, Robin, and Bappi—were detained in the afternoon.

He added that upon hearing of the detentions, students had gathered outside Uttara East Police Station, shouting slogans demanding the release of the detainees and causing some damage to the station's property.

Shortly later, they stormed the station, where they targeted the assistant sub-inspector on duty.

When the station’s gate was closed, the protesters continued chanting slogans outside and threw brickbats at the station.

The officer confirmed that the three detained students were released around 9pm.

“Senior officials including Uttara Division Deputy Commissioner Rawnak Jahan are talking to the students about the matter.”