B. Chowdhury Tuhin, Noakhali

Five police personnel were injured after being attacked while investigating a land dispute complaint at an under-construction madrasa site in Companiganj Upazila under Noakhali district on Tuesday noon.

Police arrested seven individuals, including several women, from the local hospital following the incident.

The altercation took place around 1:00 pm on Tuesday (August 11) at the Haba Sofid residence in the Moudud School Road area of Ward No. 9 under Basurhat Municipality.

The injured law enforcement personnel were identified as Companiganj Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Monjur Ahamed, Sub-Inspector (SI) Arif Mohiuddin, and Constables Md. Isahak, Md. Yousuf, and Shahadat Hossain. All five received primary medical treatment at Companiganj Upazila Government Hospital.

According to police and local sources, Md. Nurul Absar, Chairman of Darul Ihsan Madrasa, lodged a complaint alleging extortion, death threats, and property damage against seven named individuals, including local resident Manik Mia, and 9–10 unidentified associates.

When Inspector Monjur Ahamed and SI Arif Mohiuddin visited the spot around 1:00 pm to conduct a preliminary inquiry, the situation initially remained calm. However, as officers were leaving, the complainant called to report that the named defendants were breaking CCTV cameras installed at the construction site.

When police returned to question the individuals regarding the vandalism, the suspects allegedly launched a violent assault on the officers, hurling bricks and wielding wooden sticks.

Following the clash, police arrested seven suspects from the upazila hospital premises: Chhemna Khatun, Biyadhuni, Monowara, Ayesha, Oji Ulla, Abu Sufian, and Boba Jaber.

Countering the official account, Md. Babul, a relative of the detainees, claimed that officers initiated physical contact during an argument. "At one point in the argument, police grabbed my shirt collar and assaulted the women of our household," Babul alleged. "The women then threw bricks lying on the road at the police, causing minor hand injuries to two officers."

Police said, the dispute stems from ownership claims over the land housing the under-construction madrasa. While the defendants claim hereditary rights (mourosi) and have filed a case in the Noakhali Sessions Court, the complainant party claims ownership through purchase.