Amarkhana gang stabs schoolboy - 12 teenage gang members arrested

A schoolboy named Sohan Ali (15) has been accused of being beaten and stabbed in a gang in Panchagarh over a dispute over a Facebook Messenger conversation.

After the incident, locals arrested 12 teenagers and handed them over to the police. The victim's family has filed a case with the police station, naming 17 people and accusing several others of unknown names.

On Monday (December 1) night, Rashidul Islam, the elder brother of the victim schoolboy Sohan, filed the case with the Panchagarh Sadar Police Station. Earlier on the same day, the incident took place in front of the sub-health center next to Amarkhana High School in Sadar Upazila at around 2:30 pm.

Sohan is the son of Tariqul Islam, a van driver from Badinajot village in Amarkhana area. He is a class 8 student. He is currently undergoing treatment at Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital.

It is learned that all 12 of the arrested are minors. Their ages range from 14 to 16 years. All are students of class 7 to 9. They are residents of Satmera Union, Jagdal Bazar, Khalpara, Pradhanpara, Baniapara, Chekarmari and surrounding areas. The arrested are students of various educational institutions including Panchagarh Bishnu Prasad (BP) Government High School, Collectorate School, Jagdal High School and Jagdal Alim Madrasa.

The case statement states that about 10 to 12 days ago, the accused teenagers had an argument and abused Sohan in a Facebook Messenger group. On Monday, the accused surrounded him in front of the Amarkhana sub-health center on his way home after the annual exam.

The complaint states that the accused Noor hit Sohan on the head with the freewheel of the bicycle he was holding, causing serious injuries. Another teenager, Qayyum, tried to stab Sohan on the left side of his chest with a sharp knife, but when Sohan tried to resist, his wrist tendon was severed. The others punched and kicked him. At Sohan's screams, locals rushed in and arrested 12 people, although some, including the attacker, Noor, escaped.

The statement also states that some of the accused were also beaten up while being chased by locals. Later, the school's assistant principal Amirul Islam and other teachers rescued the detained teenagers from the hands of the agitated crowd and kept them in a sixth-grade room of the school. Local chairman and principal Nuruzzaman Noor also arrived at the scene. On receiving the information, the police went to the school and took the detained teenagers into custody and seized the equipment used in the attack.

In a seriously injured condition, locals first took Sohan to Panchagarh Adhunik Sadar Hospital. Later, as his condition was critical, he was admitted to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital on the way to Rangpur Medical College. He is being treated there.

The victim's father, Tariqul Islam, has demanded a fair trial for the incident. The elder brother, Rashidul Islam, said, "My younger brother was in Dhaka. He came home 5-6 days ago to take an exam. When my brother came out of school after the exam, they hit him on the head and chest with domestic weapons and other equipment. When my brother raised his hand to save himself, his veins were cut. We want a fair trial for this incident."

The school's assistant principal, Amirul Islam, and assistant teacher, Saiful Islam, said, "Such incidents are sad. We hope they don't happen again in the future."

On the other hand, the families of the detained teenagers claim that when they heard about their friend's fight, locals arrested them when they went to the scene. They denied their involvement in the attack.

Panchagarh Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdullah Hill Zaman said, "Legal action is being taken based on the complaint. Since the detainees are minors, they have been kept in police custody at the women and children desk. Further action will be taken through the court.