Case filed over stone-pelting on Bhairab train, 3 arrested

On Monday (October 27), students and the public blocked the railway station demanding the declaration of Bhairab as a district. During the blockade, the protesters pelted stones at a train, causing some damage to the train’s engine and two coaches. Bhairab Railway Station Master Yusuf filed a case at the Railway Police Station on Monday night. 100-150 unidentified persons have been named as accused in the case. The Railway Police arrested three suspected youths that night. They are Fahim (16), Arman (15) and Sajan (17). The case details say that yesterday morning, members of a local organization called ‘Palli Jagrani Sangha’ along with 200-250 unidentified persons held banners and festoons and demanded the declaration of Bhairab as the 65th district. At that time, at 10:30 am, the protesters stopped the Dhaka-bound Coastal Express train by showing red salwar cloths at the station. There was no train break at Bhairab Railway Station. Upon receiving the news, Upazila BNP President Md. Rafiqul Islam, General Secretary Md. Ariful Islam and Municipal BNP President Haji Shaheen reached the railway station and discussed with the protesters and arranged for the train to leave.
But just before the train left at 11:42 am, 100-150 people blocking the train started throwing stones at the train engine and coach in groups. At that time, the passengers including the passengers at the station panicked. During the incident, the looking glass of the train engine coach, a headlight, a side glass, a glass of the guard room and a glass of the dining compartment were damaged due to stone throwing.
Train guard Sajib Chandra Das, assistant guard Shafiqul Islam, train LM Abdul Latif and Kabir Hossain have been called as witnesses in the case.
Bhairab Railway Station Master Md. Yusuf said, we have filed the case after discussing with the higher authorities and as per their instructions. The train is a state property. After stopping the train, the protesters damaged it by throwing stones, which is a state crime.
Bhairab Railway Police Station OC Md. Said Ahmed told us that the station master had filed a case with the police station on Monday night accusing 100-150 unknown persons in the incident of throwing stones at the train at the railway station. Last night, the police arrested 3 people in the incident. The police are trying to identify and arrest the remaining criminals involved in the incident.