Seven, including forest range officers, injured in 'attack' in Moheshkhali
Seven people, including forest range officers, were injured following an altercation at Cox's Bazar's Moheshkhali.
The injured are being treated at the Moheshkhali Upazila Health Complex.
The incident took place on Sunday (21 May) around 9:30am at Nakkata hilly area of Choto Moheshkhali union.
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The injured include Forest Division Moheshkhali Range Officer Khan Zulfikar Ali (39), Mudirchhara Beat Officer Mohammad Sanaullah (42), Shaplapur Beat Officer Noor-E-Alam Mia (36), forester Noor Alam, labourers Shamsu Alam (50) and Abu Taleb (30).
Khan Zulfikar Ali said, "The forest department has 370 acres of land in Nakkata hilly area. We were making a garden there when a local suddenly attacked one of the labourers with a knife.
"We reached the spot and shot a few blank rounds to bring the situation under control. But the local, Jainal, continued to beat up the labourers. Eventually we had to detain Jainal and were going to hand him over to the police."
He said soon after, Jainal's brothers Sagar, Sharif, Siraj and 10 to 15 others attacked with machetes and sticks and snatched Jainal away.
Khan Zulfikar Ali also said the local land grabbers could not accept that gardens were being created on forest land.
They have carried out this attack to occupy government land, he alleged.
Moheshkhali police station Inspector Pranab Chowdhury said the police were sent to the spot as soon as the attack was reported but they found no one after arriving.
"No one has complained about the incident yet. Action will be taken against those involved in the incident," he said.
Sheikh Abul Kalam Azad, assistant conservator of Cox's Bazar Coastal Forest Division, said information is being collected about the incident as well as who has occupied the forest division's land, to file a case at the police station.
