Cops sue 40,000 for attack, arson on Ctg police station

Within 24 hours, two cases were filed with the Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram accusing more than 41,500 people on charges of attempted murder, attacking a police station and looting firearms.
The attempted murder case was filed by a Jubo Dal leader against 351 people including the former education minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury and 1,200 unnamed people early yesterday.
Just a day earlier, on Friday, another case was lodged, this time by police, accusing 40,000 unnamed people on charges of attacking on-duty police personnel, vandalising property, looting firearms and ammunition, and setting fire to the Kotwali Police Station.
Both cases were filed with the Kotwali Police Station in CMP, SM Obaidul Haque, Officer-in-Charge of the police station, confirmed the development to The Daily Star.
Police, however, refused to comment on why such cases were registered against so many unnamed people.
No one was arrested in these cases till the filing of this report last night.
Moin Uddin Razib, the convener of the Anderkiella Ward Jubo Dal, filed the attempt-to-murder case with the Kotwali police station.
Some other accused named in the FIR are former MP of Chandgaon-Boalkhali constituency Abdus Salam, former MP of Pahartali-Double Mooring constituency Mohiuddin Bacchu, MA Latif of Bandar-Patenga constituency, former MP of Sitakunda constituency Didarul Alam, former President of Chittagong University Chhatra League Shahjahan Chowdhury, city Swechhasebak League President Debashish Debu, city unit Chhatra League President Imran Ahmed, General Secretary Zakaria Dostagir, and former central Jubo League member Rintu Das.
The other accused in the case are mostly leaders and activists of the Awami League and affiliated organisations.
According to the case statement, the plaintiff was threatened and assaulted by the named and unnamed accused with sticks, roads, and weapons while he was attending the student movement protests on August 4.
On Friday, Inspector (Investigation) Ripon Kumar Das of Kotwali police station filed a case accusing 30,000 to 40,000 unnamed miscreants of attacking, vandalising and setting ablaze the police station under various sections of the Penal Code, the Explosives Act, and the Special Powers Act.
In the case statement, Rajon claimed that around 30,000 to 40,000 attackers stormed the Kotwali Police Station on August 5, carrying weapons and explosives. They looted and vandalised government properties, damaged vehicles and documents, and stole firearms, ammunition, and cash. They also set the station on fire.
A series of cases are being filed against the Awami League lawmakers, ministers, and advisors following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5.
At least 43 police officials were killed as hundreds of police establishments including police stations came under attack by the mob after the fall of the AL government.