Custodial death of Mushtaq: 35 injured as protesters clash with cops at TSC
Police resorted to baton charge and firing of tear gas shells to control the situation
At least 35 people were injured as the activists of left-leaning organisations clashed with cops during a protest at Dhaka University area on Friday evening over the death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed at the Kashimpur Central Jail.
Twenty of the injured people are the protesters and 15 were policemen. Later, police reportedly arrested seven protesters from the spot.
The organisations brought out a torchlight procession in the area around 7pm. Police obstructed them and detained some of the protesters from the spot, leading to a clash.
At one stage, police baton charged the protesters and fired tear gas shells there, forcing the protesters to take shelter in front of the central mosque of Dhaka University.
A number of protesters were reportedly injured in the clash.
Najifa Jannat, a spokesperson of the protesters, alleged that they brought out the torchlight procession from the Central Shaheed Minar and were marching towards Shahbagh via TSC.
When they reached TSC area, police suddenly obstructed them and baton charged to disperse them, leading to a scuffle there.
Meanwhile, Sajjadur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Ramna Zone), told the reporters that police showed utmost patience in tackling the situation.
"The protesters were marching towards Shahbagh and we tried to disperse them. But they carried out attack and threw brickbats at us. Around 14 policemen, including me, sustained injuries in the incident," he said.
According to Shahbagh Police Station sources, some four protesters were arrested from the spot, though the protesters claimed the number of arrestees to be seven.
Samajtantrik Chhatra Front President Salman Siddiqui said some 20 protesters were injured in the clash.
He also disclosed that the protesting organisations will bring out a rally from the Raju Memorial Sculpture tomorrow noon, protesting against the police attack on them.
Mushtaq's body was handed over to his relatives after completing the autopsy and legal process at 12:30pm on Friday. He was buried in Azimpur Graveyard at night.
According to the prison authorities, Mushtaq fell sick inside the highly secured prison on Thursday 7:10pm. First, he was taken to the jail hospital. Later he was sent to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital where the on-duty doctor declared him dead at 8:20pm.
His relatives did not want to talk to the media about his death, but his colleagues have made various allegations.
The doctor who completed the autopsy said he died before he was brought to the hospital. However, no injuries or other symptoms were found on his body, said Dr Safi Mohaimen, head of the Forensic Department of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital.
