Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the recent attacks and vandalism targeting homes of the Hindu community in Aldadpur Balapara village of Gangachhara, Rangpur. The incident reportedly stemmed from allegations of religious defamation.
In a statement issued by the Media and Public Relations Division of the Police Headquarters on Wednesday morning, authorities confirmed the arrests.
A case has been filed at Gangachhara Model Police Station by one of the victims, naming 1,000 to 1,200 unidentified individuals as accused. The arrests were made through a joint operation.
Aldadpur, a Hindu-majority village near the Kishoreganj border of Nilphamari district, became the center of unrest last Saturday after police received reports that a teenage boy from the area had posted derogatory content and images about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on Facebook.
After verifying the allegations, the teenager was immediately taken into custody around 8:30 PM on Saturday. He was charged under the Cyber Security Act and, on Sunday afternoon, was sent to a juvenile rehabilitation center by court order.
According to local residents and police sources, tensions escalated shortly after the boy’s arrest, with crowds gathering near his home demanding punishment. Around 10 PM, a second group attacked and vandalized the house of one of the boy’s relatives. Police and army personnel were deployed later that night to bring the situation under control.
However, fresh violence erupted again on Sunday around 3:30 PM, when another group attempted to attack homes in the area. Police tried to intervene, but several houses were damaged in the process. One police constable was seriously injured and hospitalized.
According to Gangachhara Upazila administration, a total of 15 houses were vandalized and looted during the attacks.
