Case filed over attack on Nasiruddin Patwary in Kushtia
The case names 20–25 unidentified people as accused, while NCP leaders allege the police station officer-in-charge prevented them from naming suspected attackers; the OC
A case has been filed three days after an attack on National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary and vandalism of his vehicle in Kushtia's Kumarkhali, with 20–25 unidentified people named as accused.
Police have yet to arrest anyone in connection with the incident.
Meanwhile, allegations have emerged that Kumarkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jamal Uddin prevented the complainant from naming suspected attackers in the case.
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However, the OC has denied the allegation.
Jannatul Ferdous Tony, convener of the NCP's Kushtia district unit, filed the case at Kumarkhali Police Station on Wednesday (7 October). The case received its general register (GR) number on Thursday. It was filed under Sections 143, 323, 427, 506 and 114 of the Penal Code as Case No 10 at the police station.
According to the first information report (FIR), Nasiruddin Patwary and several NCP leaders and activists visited the shrine of Lalon Shah in Kumarkhali's Cheuria, on the night of 4 October.
At around 8:15pm, as they were leaving through the shrine's main gate, a group of unidentified people allegedly attacked them.
The FIR states that the attackers initially threw eggs at Patwary before beating him with sticks, bamboo poles, pipes, iron rods, stones and other locally made weapons. They also vandalised his vehicle. Patwary and the others later left the scene under police escort.
According to the FIR, NCP leaders and activists went to Kumarkhali Police Station to file a case shortly after the attack. However, they alleged that unidentified attackers surrounded the police station and threatened them, forcing them to leave for security reasons. They said the case was delayed because the situation was not conducive to filing a complaint.
NCP Kushtia district unit Member Secretary Sultan Maruf Talha expressed dissatisfaction over the decision to name only unidentified people in the case. He alleged that OC Jamal Uddin had told them not to name anyone, leaving them with no choice but to file the case against unidentified accused.
Talha also referred to a video of Kushtia district Chhatra Dal Member Secretary Taslim Uddin Nishat that has circulated on social media over the past two days. He claimed that Nishat could be heard saying in the video that his younger brother had attacked Patwary.
Talha said police could question or detain the people concerned based on the statement.
However, OC Jamal Uddin denied preventing the complainant from naming suspects, saying the allegation was incorrect.
Asked about the video, the OC said he had heard about a clip circulating on social media in which Nishat was allegedly heard saying that his younger brother had attacked Patwary. Asked whether police would take action, he said the matter would be investigated.
However, NCP leaders have questioned the progress in identifying and bringing those involved to justice, as no arrests have been made despite the filing of the case.
