Attack on police in Sylhet as handcuffed Awami League leader is snatched away

In Haripur area of Jaintapur upazila in Sylhet, attackers assaulted police on Monday evening and snatched away Awami League leader Zakaria Mahmud while he was still in handcuffs. A police vehicle was also vandalised during the incident.

The Awami League leader who was snatched away is Zakaria Mahmud. He is the office secretary of Jaintapur upazila Awami League. Earlier, he was joint general secretary of Sylhet district Chhatra League.

According to police sources, Jaintapur police arrested Zakaria Mahmud from his home in Haripur area on Monday evening.

While he was being taken to the police station, a DI pickup blocked the police vehicle on the Tamabil highway near Haripur Bazar at around 7pm. Local people and relatives then attacked the police, vandalised the vehicle and snatched Mahmud away while he was still handcuffed.

Confirming the incident, Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman Mollah, officer-in-charge of Jaintapur Model Police Station, said that after arresting the accused and setting out for the station, the police vehicle had travelled about one and a half to two kilometres when a DI pickup blocked its path at a familiar spot.

He added that several people in the pickup surrounded the police and forcibly took the accused away. The police vehicle was partly damaged in the incident, but no police personnel were injured.

The OC said police are conducting sweeping operations in different areas to keep law and order under control. Acting on secret information, the operation to arrest Zakaria, who is wanted under a warrant, is continuing, and those involved in the incident will be arrested soon.

Sylhet Superintendent of Police Dr Chowdhury Md Jaber Sadek said on Monday night that police had launched an operation in the evening to catch Zakaria Mahmud, and that some people stopped the vehicle on the way back and snatched him away.

The superintendent of police said an operation is under way to arrest Zakaria Mahmud and the attackers.

The SP said the Haripur area is somewhat different from other places, and such incidents happen there quite often. Whenever police conduct an operation in the area, they face a challenge.

Police said the operation to catch the snatched accused and the attackers is continuing.