At least 15 people including eight policemen were injured yesterday in a clash between police and indigenous students over bringing out a protest procession in Khagrachhari district town.
Witnesses said the students of Khagrachhari Govt College under the banner of eight indigenous students' forums brought out a procession from the college gate at about 11:00pm, demanding constitutional recognition of the indigenous people of Chittagong Hill Tracts.
To foil the protest rally, police swooped on the demonstrators indiscriminately charging clubs that injured seven students, said Mayon Tripura, a member of Tripura Students Forum.
Mayon also protested the police action terming it undemocratic.
The injured are Tithi Tripura, Amarun Tripura, Suman Chakma, Dipan Chakma, Gourinanda Tripura, Ripan Tripura and Ulapru Marma.
Contacted, Abu Kalam Siddique, superintendent of police of Khagrachhari, said the students brought out the procession without taking any permission from the local administration.
As police tried to bar the students from staging demonstration, they hurled brick chips at the law enforcers leaving eight policemen injured, he said.
To bring the situation under control, police charged truncheons on the agitators, the SP said. "The situation is under control now," he added.
The injured policemen were given primary treatment at Khagrachhari Adhunik Sadar Hospital.
Bipul Chakma, organising secretary of Pahari Chhatra Parishad, in a press release condemned the attack and demanded an immediate inquiry into the incident.
Meanwhile, different student organisations of indigenous communities yesterday brought out processions in the hill town of Rangamati, protesting the foreign minister's recent statement on the issue of indigenous people.
Source : The Daily Star
