Two Police Members Detained by Comilla University Students Over 'Police Identity' Search, Settled at Proctor's Office

Two Comilla University (CU) students were allegedly searched by men claiming to be police in the Racecourse area of Cumilla city. Students detained three men on suspicion of being robbers and brought them to the campus on a university bus. The matter was later settled at the proctor's office after hearing both sides.

The incident took place on Thursday (5 November) at around 7:30 pm in the city's Racecourse area.

Speaking to eyewitnesses and the victims, it was learned that three men blocked the path of Sifat Hossain Siyam, a student of the Statistics Department from the 2023-24 session, and his friend Orp, as they were returning through a lane in the Racecourse area after tuition. Identifying themselves as police, they began searching the two students.

The victims alleged that when asked for their identity, the three men refused to identify themselves. When asked to show identity cards, they showed a walkie-talkie and handcuffs. At one stage, other students arrived at the scene and an altercation and scuffle broke out between the two sides.

As suspicion grew over the men's identity, students brought them to the campus on a university bus, suspecting them of being robbers. There were also allegations that they were beaten after getting off the bus. They were later handed over to the proctor's office.

At the proctor's office it emerged that among the three detained, one was Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Shyamal Saha of Cumilla Kotwali Model thana, another was Constable Hanif, and the third was a police source named Zahid.

Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Mostain Billah Ferdous of the Cumilla Sadar South circle later confirmed their identity as police members at the proctor's office. In the presence of the university's proctorial body and police authorities, both sides were heard and a settlement was reached.

Victim student Sifat Hossain Siyam said: 'My friend Orp and I were walking. Orp was a little ahead. Suddenly a man came up, put a hand on Orp's chest and said, we are police, we will check you. As he said it, he put his hand into Orp's pocket. Then they asked our identity and where we live. We identified ourselves as Comilla University students and offered to show our ID cards. Then another man in a black T-shirt grabbed my collar from behind and said they too were police.'

Siyam added that when asked to show ID cards, they kept showing handcuffs instead. At one point a local man came and said that even police should not behave this way. He then suggested doing the search at the university bus parked nearby. When a university bus arrived, the men were taken to the campus on it.

ASI Shyamal Saha, however, said they had asked the two students for their identity after seeing them. Once the students identified themselves as Comilla University students, they were let go and an apology was offered. When the students later asked for the men's identity, they showed the walkie-talkie and handcuffs, and suggested contacting the officers on duty to confirm who they were.

University Proctor Dr Shahadat Hossain said: 'Both sides made some mistakes here. The police members did not want to identify themselves either. They did not have ID cards with them. On the other hand, the students also made a mistake. If they had informed the authorities concerned or our proctorial body, that would have been better. Bringing them to the campus by force was not right. We heard both sides and reached a reasonable solution. Both sides accepted it. We hope such unwanted incidents do not happen again.'

Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Mostain Billah Ferdous of Cumilla Sadar South circle said: 'Both sides were at fault. If the students had called any police officer or the thana, or even 999, the matter could have been resolved right there. Since 5 August, a tendency towards mob culture has appeared. We have to come out of that.'