Armed assailants opened fire on people returning home from an anti-drug and anti-crime human chain rally in Katabill, Cumilla city, on Thursday (June 25) afternoon, injuring seven people. A 12-year-old class-six student was critically wounded and transferred to a hospital in Dhaka. The injured included students of Katabill Government Primary School. Several other wounded persons were admitted to Cumilla Medical College Hospital.
The officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model Police Station, Towhidul Anwar, confirmed the incident and said police had deployed to the scene and launched operations to apprehend those responsible.
Local sources said that armed juvenile gang members and drug dealers had been conducting open shows of weapons in the Katabill and Telikona areas for two days before the attack. The anti-drug protest was organised by local residents in response to those activities. The shooting took place as people were dispersing after the rally.
Resident Anwar said the attack was retaliation for the protest against open drug dealing and weapons displays. “Ordinary people are living in fear,” he said, calling for the attackers to be arrested. No arrests were immediately reported at time of publication.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report