Hartal underway amid violence, journalists injured Jamaat-enforced daylong hartal is underway across the country amid violent activities, witnesses and police said. Violence erupted in the capital and other parts of the country since early morning as the hartal supporters took to the streets. In the capital, a few journalists were injured in Saidabad area during clashes between the activists and the police, witnesses and police said. The police chased pro-hartal activists to disperse several times. At about 8:00am, during a chase, the activists hurled a number of hand-made bombs at the police when police retaliated with several rounds of rubber bullets and teargas canisters. Several journalists who were in the middle of the two conflicting parties were wounded by the rubber bullets. Minhajul Islam, assistant commissioner of police in Demra acknowledged the incident of journo injuries during the clash. The activists also blasted several crude bombs and vandalised vehicles. The activists burnt at least 2 vehicles in the city. In Rajshahi, the activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir blockaded Rajshahi-Dhaka highway by burning tyres at Kazla gate area of Rajshahi University in the morning but fled the scene when police arrived. They also tried to vandalise a truck at Katakhali area, witnesses said. Rajshahi metropolitan police commissioner SM Moniruzzaman told New Age Online that situation was under control. In Barisal, pro-hartal activists torched at least 4 battery operated auto-rickshaws in the morning at different areas, witnesses said. Four pickets were arrested on charges of violence, Shakhawat Hossain, officer-in-charge of Barisal Kotwali police said. In Bogra, the activists vandalised a total of 50 vehicles, put several barricades on the roads at Arulia, Mahasthan Garh, Sherpur and Shajahanpur areas in the district town during hartal time. Pickets hurled some crude bombs at police van in Sewajgari area of the town when police fired 23 rounds of rubber bullets to disperse them. Police arrested two activists from the area. In Jhenaidah, The hartal activists at Seikhpara Bazar on Jhenaidah-Kushtia highway in Sailkupa upazila had set four goods laden trucks on fire early in the morning. Another group of the hartal supporters had damaged three trucks and a passenger bus in Kaliganj. The pickets have also blockaded the highways at several points of the district. Locals and Sailkupa police said the pickets had set four trucks at Seikhpara Bazar at about 2.00am. Local people were barred by the Jamaat and Shibir men while they were trying to put-off the fire. Later the fire department personnel from Sailkupa and Jhenaidah brought the fire under control. Officer in charge of Sailkupa police station Anwar Hossain said additional law enforcers were deployed. The pickets in the early morning had damaged three trucks near Bejpara in Kaliganj upazila on Jhenaidah-Jessore highway. They ran away the scene as the police men appeared there.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 08:56:14 +0000
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