The Crime Desk: At least 10 villagers were injured in an attack by sandbaggers in Satkania. Later, the sandbaggers fled after being chased by angry villagers and fired shots. At that time, the angry locals set fire to two motorcycles abandoned by the illegal sandbaggers. The incident took place on Monday afternoon in the Bahnamura area of Ward No. 9 of the Chadaha Union of the upazila. Locals said that an organized gang associated with various political parties had been illegally extracting sand from a canal in the Manukhola area of Ward No. 9 of Chadaha Union. The extracted sand was being transported by trucks through various rural roads of Chadaha Union, including Bahnamura. As hundreds of trucks transporting sand every day caused extensive damage to the rural roads, local locals obstructed the sand transportation.
The illegal sand miners got angry and attacked the locals on Monday afternoon. At least 10 people, including Sajjad Hossain (21), Sabbir (20), Ridoan (23), Nurunnabi (45), Md. Shahid (23), and Sahab Uddin (33), were injured in the attack by the sand miners. The condition of two of the injured is said to be critical. They have been admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Later, when the men and women of the area gathered together to chase the attackers, the attackers fled while firing. At that time, the locals set fire to two motorcycles left by the attackers.
Sahabuddin of the Banhamura area of Sadahar said that various rural roads of Sadah Union were severely damaged in the past floods. The roads have been made suitable for movement by collecting donations from local residents and various non-political and social organizations. But a recently organized gang had been illegally extracting sand from a canal in the Manukhola area of the Bahnamura area. The roads were damaged due to the sand being transported through local roads, so the locals obstructed the sand transportation. As a result, the sand miners organized themselves and attacked innocent locals. Many men and women of the area were injured in their attack. At that time, when the locals gathered together to resist them, they fled while firing.
Abdus Chabur, a member of Ward No. 9 of the Chadaha Union Parishad, said, I was in the Union Parishad at the time of the incident. Later, I learned from the locals that the sand miners attacked the villagers because they were prohibited from bringing sand through rural roads. Later, when the locals gathered and gave chase, the attackers fled from the scene while firing. Later, the angry locals burned two motorcycles left by the sand miners.
Satkania Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Mustafa Kamal Khan said that police were sent to the spot after receiving the information. No one has filed any complaint in this regard yet. Legal action will be taken after investigation if a complaint is received.
