Photo: Collected
Four polling centres set up in schools were set on fire in three constituencies of Rajshahi early Friday (5 January).
Miscreants used petrol bombs to set the polling stations on fire. School furniture, including books and papers, were burnt in the fire. Two hand bombs were also found in front of a polling station.
The affected polling centres are Mohonpur High School in Mohonpur upazila for the Rajshahi-3 constituency, Akkelpur High School in Bagmara Upazila for the Rajshahi-4 constituency, and Jhina Primary School and Jotanshi Primary School in Bagha Upazila for the Rajshahi-6 constituency.
Rafiqul Islam, additional superintendent of police and the spokesperson for Rajshahi district police, stated that various school materials and documents were damaged by the flames, and an investigation is underway to identify those responsible.
Two hand bombs were found in front of Akkelpur High School in Bagmara. The police secured the area, and a bomb disposal squad neutralized the bombs, he said.
Arvind Sarkar, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bagmara Police Station, said miscreants targeted the Akkelpur High School polling centre in Ganeepur Union. They threw a petrol bomb into the office chamber, causing a fire. The flames spread inside, damaging books and papers. As people nearby heard the commotion, the miscreants fled the scene, leaving behind two hand bombs at the school gate.
Local residents immediately called the national emergency service number (999), prompting the police to rush to the scene. A bomb disposal squad successfully neutralized the bombs, he added.
Messenger/Sun Yath
