Mob Attacks Police After Murder of Seven-Year-Old Girl in Lalmonirhat
A brutal murder investigation in Lalmonirhat’s Aditmari upazila devolved into a violent confrontation between local residents and law enforcement on Tuesday, resulting in dozens of injuries and significant damage to government property. The unrest erupted after police recovered the body of a seven-year-old girl, who had been missing since Monday afternoon, buried inside a sack in a local cornfield.
Preliminary investigations by local authorities suggest the child may have been raped before she was killed. Police identified two suspects from the same village, Bidhan Chandra Barman, 20, and his father, Ranjit Chandra Barman, and successfully took them into custody. However, the arrest triggered an intense reaction from the community, with a large, agitated mob demanding that the suspects be turned over for summary justice.
As police attempted to secure the suspects, the crowd turned hostile, pelting officers and government officials with bricks and debris. Despite efforts by the district administration and senior police leadership to restore order, the situation escalated rapidly between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The mob successfully set fire to the suspects' home and vandalized several neighboring properties.
The violence left approximately 30 to 35 people injured, including the Lalmonirhat Nejarat Deputy Collector (NDC), Md. Al Amin, and multiple police personnel. Victims were treated for their injuries at the Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital, though officials confirmed that none sustained life-threatening wounds. During the chaos, six government vehicles—including those belonging to the District Commissioner and the Police Superintendent—were heavily damaged.
To regain control, police deployed sound grenades, and the District Commissioner requested emergency support from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). While authorities managed to extract the suspects and the injured officials, they faced further resistance as crowds attempted to block their path with makeshift barricades.
In the aftermath, the officer-in-charge of the Aditmari Police Station, Nazmul Haque, was withdrawn to the district police lines. District Commissioner Muh. Rashedul Haque confirmed that additional police and BGB forces have been deployed across the area, including Folimari village, to stabilize the situation. Authorities have initiated legal proceedings against the two suspects, while separate cases are being prepared regarding the mob violence and the assault on government officials.
