Rangpur Mayhem: Titu placed on remand

A Rangpur court yesterday granted four-day remand for Titu Chandra Roy in connection with a case over demeaning Islam through a Facebook post.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court passed the order after police had produced the 40-year-old before it, seeking 10-day remand, said ABM Zakir Hossain, additional SP of the Special Branch in the district.

No lawyer appeared for Titu, said Rangpur Court Inspector Monoj Kumar.

The court asked the investigating officer of the case to submit a health check-up report of the arrestee to it after the completion of the remand period.

Police later sent the arrestee to Rangpur jail.

Alamgir Hossain of Khaleya Shah Bazaar in Rangpur Sadar upazila filed the case with Gangachara Police Station against Titu on November 5.

The case was transferred to Rangpur Detective Branch of police on Tuesday night, hours after law enforcers picked up Titu from Chiravija village in Nilphamari's Jaldhaka upazila.

DB Sub-Inspector Babul Islam, the IO of the case, yesterday said they would take Titu in remand today.

Police brought the arrestee to the court around 1:30pm. Security was beefed up in and around the Rangpur court complex to prevent any untoward incident as a lot of curious people gathered there to have a glimpse of the arrestee upon information that police would produce him before the court.

Meanwhile, Mizanur Rahman, superintendent of Rangpur police, cancelled his press briefing yesterday morning. He was scheduled to brief journalists at his office about Titu's arrest.

Protesting the Facebook post, hundreds of zealots attacked Thakurpara village in Rangpur Sadar upazila on Friday afternoon. They torched 11 Hindu houses, vandalised many others and looted valuables from there.

A man was killed and about 20 others were injured after police fired rubber bullets and teargas shells to bring the situation under control.

The following day, police filed two cases with Gangachara and Rangpur Sadar police stations over the attack, accusing 2,000 people, including named 28.

Among the accused is Alamgir, who has been on the run since the attack. 

Law enforcers have so far rounded up around 150 people in the connection with the two cases.