NEW DELHI: The name of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed has emerged in connection with the torching of 17 Christian houses in Bandarban district, Bangladesh. Four individuals have been arrested.
According to local police, the arrested individuals Stephen Tripura, 50, Masainia Tripura, 44, Joachim Tripura, 52, and Md Ibrahim, 65 are connected to the incident in which the houses were set on fire.
"Of these four arrested, Md Ibrahim used to be the caretaker of land occupied in the name of Benazir Ahmed," said a source.
The incident occurred on Christmas Eve, when the residents had gone to a nearby church to offer prayers.
The name of the former IGP surfaced in the statements of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs adviser Supradip Chakma and Durjodhan Tripura, the headman (chief) of the area. According to some reports, the 17 houses (out of 19) were set ablaze after the residents refused to pay 50,000 Taka in extortion money. There had also been prior threats regarding land grabbing, which the villagers had ignored in November.
Supradip Chakma is flying to the Bandarban Hill District to visit the affected members of the Tripura Christian community following Tuesday's arson attack.