The schoolgirl is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.
Violence Erupts in Bangladesh Over Alleged Assault of Eighth-Grade Tribal Schoolgirl Latest News: At least three people were killed and many others were injured in violent clashes that broke out on Sunday in Bangladesh’s southeastern hill district of Khagrachhari, Dynamite News reported.
According to the news report, the violence broke out between tribal groups and Bengali settlers, despite heavy security following the alleged assault of a tribal schoolgirl earlier in the week.
The incident has resulted in widespread outrage among the indigenous tribal communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the report said.
According to the report, the Chittagong Hill Tracts is a historically sensitive region due to ethnic tensions between tribal groups and Bengali settlers.
Protesters have reportedly blocked roads, burned tires, and staged sit-ins, demanding swift justice regarding the incident involving the minor.
As per police officials cited in the report, three men have been confirmed dead, though no further details on their identities were provided.
Eyewitnesses, cited in the report, said that both sides turned violent, setting fire to each other’s businesses and households in the Khagrachhari hill district, about 270 km northeast of Dhaka along the motorway.
Both sides resorted to using sticks, stones, and makeshift weapons, while security forces deployed tear gas and rubber bullets to try to control the crowd.
Three lives were lost in the chaos, the report said, adding that the authorities are yet to confirm the exact circumstances of the fatalities.
Several police and paramilitary personnel were also injured in the violence.
The clash broke out after an eighth-grade schoolgirl was allegedly assaulted in the Khagrachhari district, one of the three hill districts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts bordering India and Myanmar.
The girl was reportedly assaulted on her way back from private tuition and was found in an unconscious state by her parents and neighbors around midnight in an isolated area of the town. The schoolgirl is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.
Meanwhile, the police, with military assistance, have arrested a Bengali teenager in connection with the alleged assault. He is among the suspects believed to be involved in the crime, the report said. He is being interrogated under a six-day remand as ordered by the court.
Thirteen army personnel have been injured in the clashes, according to officials. Dhaka and Khagrachhari’s Deputy Commissioner has described the situation as under control. Additional paramilitary forces have been deployed to prevent further escalation.
The Deputy Commissioner stated that they are investigating both the assault case and the clashes that followed.
“Those responsible will be held accountable,” the DC is quoted as saying in the report.
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