Police officer misfires while loading gun, injures tea stall owner in Jhalakathi

A tea shopkeeper was injured in a misfire by a constable of Rajapur police station in Jhalakathi.

The injured tea stall owner, identified as Monir Mahamud, is undergoing treatment at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, Rajapur police station Officer-In-Charge (OC) Ataur Rahman told The Business Standard.

Meanwhile, the constable in question, Nurul Islam, has been dismissed for neglect of duty, Jhalkathi Superintendent of Police Afruzul Haque Tutul said.

"The injured person is being treated. If he needs more advanced treatment according to the advice of the doctors, that will be arranged," he added.

However, Monir said he is not getting the proper treatment and is at risk of being crippled for life.

"Even though the police have inquired about my treatment, I am not getting the desired treatment. If I don't get better treatment, I will be crippled. Tea shops are the only source of income for my family. If it gets closed, people in my house will have no food. I am not getting good treatment either.

"Hospital staff are only giving me painkillers and gastric medicines. My request is to save me from being crippled," he told TBS.

Son of Zainal Abedin of North Tarabunia village in Rajapur, Monir said he has a tea stall in Lebubunia market of the upazila. On Saturday (December 23) night, SI Azad called me on the phone and told me to keep the shop open because they were on duty.

"They often have tea at my tea shop. They arrived sometime after 12 o'clock. At around 12:30am, constable Nurul Islam was loading bullets into his gun. Suddenly bullets hit me in the leg. The left leg was hit by several bullets, and the right leg was also shot.

"The policemen took me to the Rajapur Upazila Health Complex... The next day they brought me to Barisal Hospital," he claimed.