5 shot, 30 hurt in attack on protesters in Cumilla
At least 30 people were injured, including five with bullet injuries, as activists of Jubo League and Swechasebak League allegedly attacked protesters in Cumilla.
The incident took place in the Police Lines area of the city around 1:30pm today (3 August) when students were protesting against government crackdown as part of the programmes announced by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
Cumilla Medical College Hospital Director Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said five people were brought to the hospital with injuries.
"We are treating them. It is not possible to say whether they were shot or not," he said.
Eyewitnesses said the students were going towards the Police Lines area with a protest march from Cumilla Zilla School. When the procession reached the Race Course area, leaders and activists of Jubo League and Swechasebak League chased them from behind and fired 30 shots. At least 30 people were injured, including five shot.
Among the injured, Sohan, a student of finance and banking department of Cumilla University, and Sourav, a fourth-year graduate student of Cumilla Government College, are in critical condition, protesting students said.
When asked, Cumilla Metropolitan Awami League Acting General Secretary Atiqullah Khokon denied allegations of the attack.
Senior officers of the district police were called several times for a comment in this regard, but they did not receive.
Meanwhile, agitators set fire to the car of upazila assistant commissioner (land) at Chandina of Cumilla at around 1pm today.