8 cops closed for assaulting Gaibandha court staff

Eight policemen of Gaibandha Sadar Police Station have been closed to the district police lines for assaulting three court staff in the district town. Assistant police super of Gaibandha Fakaruzzaman Jewel said the action was taken against the eight policemen after allegations of assault on three court staff at a Sonali Bank branch against them wese proved in primary investigation. Meanwhile, the arrest warrant issued by a local court on Sunday for the arrest of nine policemen, including the Sadar police station’s officer-in-charge, and the bank manager of the Sonali Bank branch on charge of assault on the three court staff reached the police super’s office on Monday afternoon. However, none of the accused was arrested as of Tuesday morning, police said. Besides, the three-member probe panel formed by police with additional police super Faruk Hossain as its head submitted its report to police super Fakaruzzaman Jewel on Sunday. The report says the eight accused cops had an altercation and a duel of fists with the court employees over breaching the bank discipline. On Sunday, Senior Judicial Magistrate of Gaibandha Taskinul Haque issued a warrant for the arrest of the nine policemen and the bank manager. According to a case filed with the court, three staff of the Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court -- Komol Chowdhury, record keeper Mozammel Haque and cashier Kabir Mandal -- on Thursday went to the principal branch of Sonali Bank in the district town with treasury invoice and salary cheques. As there was a huge crowd of clients, bank manager Ayesh Uddin called police to control the situation. At one stage, 10 policemen, including Sadar Police Station OC Rajiur Rahman, started beating up the clients as per the bank manager’s order. When the court staff and other customers protested the police action, the law enforcers turned angry and beat them up further. Later, police took Komol to the police station and beat him up again, leaving him injured. Injured Komol was then whisked off to a local hospital. On Sunday, Komal filed as case with the court against the policemen and the nank manager.