Constable injured as crude bomb hits police van

A police patrol vehicle was targeted with crude bombs allegedly thrown from a motorcycle procession of the banned Chhatra League (CL) in the capital’s Kurmitola area. 

Constable Md Enamul, driver of the patrol vehicle, was injured in the incident. Three people have been detained in connection with the incident, police said.

The incident occurred at around 7:30am on Thursday in front of Kurmitola General Hospital on Airport Road.
Cantonment Police Station (PS) Officer-in-Charge (OC) Muhammad Gias Uddin told the media that crude bombs were thrown at a police patrol vehicle from the motorcycle procession of the banned CL. 

Constable Md Enamul, who was driving the patrol vehicle, was injured. The OC said Enamul was on duty in front of the Army Golf Club when the incident took place.

Police later conducted a drive and detained three people. They are being interrogated to determine whether they were involved in the incident.

The police are also reviewing CCTV footage to identify and arrest other motorcyclists who took part in the attack, the OC said.

According to police sources, a procession of around 70 to 80 motorcycles was heading towards Kuril Bishwaroad from the Banani side. The participants were chanting “Joy Bangla”.

When the procession reached the area in front of Kurmitola General Hospital, cocktails were thrown at a Cantonment police patrol vehicle. Police said the explosion injured Constable Enamul’s left eye.

He was initially taken to the emergency department of Kurmitola General Hospital. Later, on the advice of doctors, he was shifted to the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital in Agargaon, where he is undergoing treatment.

In a separate incident, Mirpur Model Police recovered 20 crud bomb, 41 torch sticks, around two litres of kerosene and soft cork sheets during a raid in the Ansar Camp area of Paikpara under Mirpur Model PS at around 12:10am on Thursday.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) Md Akter Hossain confirmed the matter in a press release issued on Thursday.

According to the release, following the recovery of the explosives and related materials, members of the trained bomb disposal unit of the Special Response Unit (SRU) arrived at the scene, took necessary safety measures and safely neutralised the cocktails.

Investigation and raids are continuing to identify those involved and bring them to justice, police said.