Online Report : A very tense situation is prevailing at Madhukhali in Faridpur district over the lynching of two siblings on charge of setting fire to a temple recently.

Locals have been demonstrating holding peace rallies and putting barricades on the highway.

In such a situation, four platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel have been deployed at Dhaka-Khulna highway and Panchapalli Krishna Nagar in Dumain union of Madhukhali upazila on Wednesday (April 24) morning.

Madhukhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Mamnun Ahmed said the BGB platoons have been deployed to maintain law and order in the area. They are patrolling in the area. The law and order remains normal.

BGB headquarters` public relations officer Md Shariful Islam said BGB along with police have been patrolling at Rajbari Baliakandi Panchapalli and Baghate Bazar areas under the supervision of the magistrates from Faridpur district administration. At present, situation in the areas remains calm and under control. Besides, village defence police (VDP) members are working along with the joint forces.

Faridpur police super Morshed Alam told journalists that eight people were detained on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in the incident.

Earlier, four people were arrested for their involvement in the incident. Of them, two people submitted confessional statements to court.

It may be recalled that an incident of fire took place inside the Kali Temple near the primary school at village Panchapalli Krishna Nagar under Madhukhali upazila in Faridpur district in the evening of Thursday (April 18) last. Suspecting the involvement of seven day labourers working at the primary school adjacent to the temple, several youths beat, punched and kicked them mercilessly confining them in a school room.

Then they informed the agitating villagers that the day labourers set fire to the temple. Being furious, the local villagers also swooped on the day labourers, leaving two siblings -- Arshadul and Ashraful -- dead on the spot and five others badly injured. The deceased were the sons of Shahjahan Khan of village Chouperghat in Naopara union. Two of the injured are now undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

However, police said they didn`t find any involvement of the day labourers in setting fire to the temple.

Centering the incident, several thousands of people started demonstrating and put road blockades since Tuesday morning. At one stage, the situation turned unusual and the local administration faced great difficulties to deal with the situation. The demonstrators also chanted slogans putting trees on roads and burning tyres. Then police brought the situation under control at about 4:00pm after long seven hours. At that time, at least 15 demonstrators were injured as police fired shots and teargas shells on them.

Police said they have arrested 12 people in three cases for their alleged involvement in the incident. They have been sent to Faridpur District Jail.

Daily Observer