Cumilla mayhem: Iqbal, 3 others on fresh remand

A Cumilla court has granted five-day fresh remand to the key suspect, Iqbal Hossain and three others in a case filed over hurting religious sentiment.

Cumilla Chief Judicial Magistrate, Farhana Islam passed the order after police produced them before the court after expiry of their seven-day remand, said Assistant Superintendent of Police Enamul Haque of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Cumilla unit.

Earlier on 23 October, the suspects were placed on seven-day remand.

In the wee hours of 13 October, Iqbal reportedly placed a copy of the holy Quran at Nanuar Dighi puja mandap in Cumilla, and took away the mace of Hindu God Hanuman – prompting communal tensions in the district that later erupted elsewhere.

On 21 October, police arrested Iqbal Hossain whom they say "a drug addict and vagabond" from Cox's Bazar, and he was brought to Cumilla on Friday (22 October).

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage collected from the adjacent area of Nanuar Dighi mandap showed that Iqbal going to a mosque beside a shrine at midnight, then to the mandap with something holding in his hands, and coming out with a mace.

Apart from placing the Quran at the mandap, police said Iqbal also instigated the agitated mob gathered centering the "besmirching of the holy scripture".