On 01 October 2024, Bangladesh army backed Muslim settlers attacked the indigenous people at various locations in Khagrachari. The settlers protected by the army and police, attacked Ujjal Marma when he was returning home from the South Khabangpujya Buddhist Temple.

Bengali settlers attack indigenous people in reprisal to a rapist's death in Khagrachari

On 1 October 2024, a Bengali Muslim named Sohel Rana raped an indigenous Tripura girl studying in seven grade at Khagrachari Technical School and College . Sohel Rana is a teacher at Khagrachari Technical School and College.

On October 1, at around 9 am, the teacher Sohel Rana lured the Tripura student and took her to his quarters. When her classmates saw this, some of them went to the college principal to inquire about the girl.

Later, the girl was rescued from the teacher’s room in the presence of the police and administration. The girl said that the teacher held her and raped her. The angry students then attacked the teacher and beat him up. This time, while escaping by climbing the wall to escape from the beating of the angry students, the teacher, hitting a battery-powered vehicle, fell unconscious on the ground. Later, when he was taken to the hospital, the doctor on duty confirmed his death.

As a result of this incident, the Muslim settlers attacked the indigenous students. There was a chase and counter-chase between the indigenous students and the Muslim settlers. At this time, an indigenous student was injured being hit in an eye in the attack by the Muslim settlers. Besides, several other students and general public were reported injured.

When this news spread, the Muslim settlers came together from nearby different places around 2 pm to attack the indigenous people’s villages with sticks and local sharp weapons. They involved chases and counter chases with the indigenous people.

The Muslim settlers attacked Mahajan Para of Khagrachari town. Meanwhile, the youth and local residents of Mahajan Para resisted the attacks of the settlers. Later, local youths and residents were forced to retreat when 2 Bangladesh army vehicles arrived there.

Protected by the Bangladesh army, the Bengali settlers vandalized and robbed indigenous shops and set fire to an indigenous house in front of the army. Bangladesh army cooperated with the Muslim settlers in setting fire on indigenous homes and shops.

At that time, on his way back from the bazar, Ujjal Marma, a devotee of the Adarsha Buddhist Bihara in South Khabangpujjya, was fatally wounded by the settlers on his back. He was later admitted to hospital with serious injuries. It is said that the injured Ujjal Marma’s house is in Ultachari village of Logang in Panchari upazila.

Apart from this, 2 more people were injured in the attack by the Muslim settlers. They are–

1. Kanta Moni Chakma, former municipal councilor, son of Arun Kumar Chakma
2. Shyamal Kanti Chakma, son of Bhujalal Chakma.

On the other hand, the Muslim settlers looted Buddha idols and other goods from the shop of an indigenous Rakhine in Kalyanpur and set them on fire.

The Muslim settlers tried to attack the indigenous areas including Madhupur, Kalyanpur, Pankhaia Para, College Gate, Sluice Gate.

Following the attack, the local administration imposed Section 144 indefinitely in the town from 3 pm. At present, a tense situation is prevailing in nearby areas including Khagrachari town.

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