They actually came to loot, Narail Hindus say

On Friday afternoon, a group of agitating people turned up before the Hindu community at Digholia village of Narail, demanding punishment of the Hindu youth Akash Saha for belittling the prophet in a Facebook post. As tensions escalated, the Lohagara upazila nirbahi officer intervened and took Akash's father into police custody, according to witnesses.

Subsequently, the situation calmed down until another group – wielding iron rods and metal objects – brought out a procession soon after evening.  

They were met by police action and scattered through the village. The dispersed mob then looted Hindu homes and shops, vandalised Hindu properties and set Hindu homes on fire, said witnesses and victims.

The assailants entered Mala Rani Saha's house that evening.

"When some young boys entered our house, my niece and I took shelter in a room. We turned off all the lights and hid under the bed," she said.

"They started hitting the lock of the door with iron rods. They shouted at us to give them the valuables. We didn't say anything out of fear."

Mala said they were shivering and calling God. "If they somehow broke the lock on the door, what would happen to us?"

The woman said the attackers broke the door of another room and took away Tk15,000 cash and gold ornaments weighing four bhories from the cupboard.

The attackers ransacked the house of Dilip Kumar Saha – the headmaster of Digholia school, and looted Tk65,000 in cash as well as gold ornaments. The culprits vandalised the TV, refrigerator and an idol inside the house.

Dilip's neighbour Niranjan Saha said he was hiding under the bed with his child and wife when the attackers began running amok in the neighbourhood.

"They came and hit the window of my house with iron rods. They asked to be paid Tk1 lakh. They said if I did not pay, they would vandalise my house."

"Through a broken window, we saw the attackers ransacking Dilip Saha's house. They were talking about looting only cash and gold," recalled Dilip.

The assailants set Gobinda Saha's house on fire after ransacking it, said Gobinda's mother Dipali Saha. "Some of the villagers tried to douse the fire after the assailants left."

The attackers beat up Gopal Saha. He said, "They came and told me to give them Tk5 lakh. As I wanted to know why I would have to pay, they started assaulting me and hit me on the head."

Case against 200-250 unidentified people, 5 remanded

A Narail court on Monday placed five people, who were arrested on Sunday night in a case filed over the vandalising of Hindu properties, on a three-day remand each.

They are Sayeed Sheikh, Rasel Mridha, Kabir Ghazi, Rezaul Sheikh and Masum Billah. All of them are Lohagara upazila residents.

Police on Sunday filed the case with Lohagara police station against 200 to 250 unidentified people. In the case statement, police have mentioned the ransacked valuables on that day.  

Mizanur Rahman, a sub-inspector of Lohagara police station and also investigation officer of the case, said police had arrested the individuals after identifying them through analysing different sets of video footage.

The SI said police had also identified another 15-20 individuals in the footage. "We hope to glean vital information by quizzing the arrested people in remand."  

On Sunday, a Narail court granted the police prayer for a 3-day remand to quiz the Hindu youth Akash Saha, whose Facebook post reportedly belittled the prophet.

Digholia villager Salauddin Kochi filed the case over hurting religious sentiments. Police said they arrested Akash in Khulna on Saturday night.