Army raid two villages in Kawkhali

chtnews.com
News No. 74/2009, June 27, 2009
A villager was tortured during an army raid into the remote villages of Manji Adam and Gongotyatoli under Fatikchari Union of Kawkhali Upazila in the small hours of Saturday, 27 June.

The two villages are situated 3 kilometers apart, and about 15 kilometers north-west of Kawkhali town.

The soldiers are from Ghagra zone, but the name of the army officers who led the raid could not be known.

While it is not yet known what happened during the raid in Gongotyatoli village, in Manji Adam the army beat up Sona Ram Chakma, a Jumia farmer (or Jum cultivator), and forced him to climb and pick green coconuts from trees.

It is not known whether the soldiers paid for the coconuts.

The soldiers searched all the eight houses of the village and found a homemade gun from the house of Shanti Ram Chakma who used it to keep away hordes of monkeys from his jum field.

Mr. Chakma ran away fearing arrest.

The army personnel also interrogated the villagers about the whereabouts of the “terrorists” meaning UPDF.

Two Jummas wearing bandanas around their faces were seen along with the army during the raid.

“They put off their bandanas at Khiram army camp, and they have been recognised,” claimed a UPDF leader.

The soldiers left the village at 8am.