Case filed against 2200 in Cumilla shrine vandalism-arson incident

A case was filed against 2,200 villagers after four shrines were attacked, vandalised, and set on fire by an angry mob in Homna Upazila of Cumilla. 

Kafil Uddin Shah, Hawali Shah, Kalai Shah, and Abdu Shah were attacked on Thursday morning around 9:30 am in Asadpur village. The violence was triggered by a controversial Facebook post shared the previous day.

Homna Police Station SI Taposh Kumar filed the case late on Thursday. Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Rafiqul Islam confirmed the matter to the Daily Samakal on Friday morning. 

"The situation in the area is tense. Police have been deployed," the OC said. 

According to local sources and police, a young man using the Facebook account 'Bemja Mohsin' posted religiously offensive content at 10:52 am on Wednesday. 

The post sparked outrage, leading locals to protest in front of Homna Police Station, demanding severe punishment for the individual. 

Police and army personnel intervened to calm the situation, and the suspect was arrested that afternoon. 

Md. Shariful Islam, organising secretary of the Bangladesh Islamic Jubosena Homna Upazila branch, filed a case against the youth at Homna Police Station that evening. 

The accused was presented in court on Thursday morning.

Despite the arrest, public anger persisted. 

On Thursday morning, after the offensive post was further publicised, a mob set fire to the Kafil Uddin Shah and Hawali Shah shrines and vandalised the Kalai Shah and Abdu Shah shrines. 

Two Fire Service units responded promptly, extinguishing the flames. 

Cumilla Police Superintendent Md. Nazir Ahmed Khan told Daily Samakal, “The individual responsible for the offensive post was arrested immediately. Those who instigated the violence, vandalised, and set fire to the shrines have been identified, and legal action will be taken against them. Police have been deployed to maintain order in the area.”