Clash at Cumilla mosque: One succumbs to injuries, 3 arrested

A man who was injured during a clash at a mosque in Cumilla's Debidwar on 14 February, has died.

Meanwhile, police have arrested three individuals in a case filed over the incident.

Debidwar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shamsuddin Mohammad Elyas told The Business Standard today (21 February) that due to previous enmity, a clash between two groups took place at a mosque in Debidwar's Fatehabad union on the night of Shab-e-Barat.

"Ibrahim Khalil, 50, who was injured in the incident, died in the early hours today at a private hospital in Dhaka. His body was sent to the Cumilla Medical College Hospital's morgue for autopsy," he said.

Ibrahim was the son of late Hasan Ali of Fatehabad Dakshinpara area in Debidwar. He was the general secretary of Fatehabad Baitul Al Aqsa Jame Masjid Management Committee.

According to locals, there was a dispute among the village boys about a month ago over a cricket match. Following that incident, on 14 February, around 8pm, there was a verbal argument and scuffle between two groups on a bridge in Kandirpar area.

When one group took shelter in a mosque, the other group entered the mosque and attacked them, locals said.

Shab-e-Barat prayers were going on in the mosque at that time. When the worshipers tried to stop the attackers, 12 people, including Ibrahim, were injured.

On the next day, Ibrahim's elder brother Md Ismail Hossain filed a case with the Debidwar Police Station, accusing 21 people and 15 unknown individuals.