Schoolteacher beaten to death on rape allegations in Khagrachhari

A schoolteacher was beaten to death in Khagrachhari by a mob for allegedly raping a student of the indigenous community this morning.
After his death, a chase and counter-chase ensued between Bangalis and indigenous people, said Sujan Chandra Roy, upazila nirbahi officer of Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila.
Around 3:00pm, the Khagrachhari district administration imposed Section 144 in the municipality area and Sadar upazila, he added.
Rozlin Shahid Chowdhury, additional district magistrate of Khagrachhari, confirmed news of the death of Abul Hasnat Mohammad Sohel Rana, a teacher of Khagrachhari Government Technical School and College.
UNO Sujan said students and guardians kept Sohel confined in the school on allegation of raping an indigenous schoolgirl.
Sujan said he along with additional superintendent of police (Khagrachhari circle) and officer-in-charge of a local police station went to the spot and tried to bring the situation under control.
At one stage, the agitated mob broke the school gate and beat up Sohel, leaving him injured, the UNO said.
Sujan said he and a few police officials also suffered injuries.
The injured teacher was sent to Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital around noon.
Ripple Bappi Chakma, residential medical officer of the hospital, also confirmed news of the death.
Ukanyu Marma, a witness, said some students saw Sohel Rana take a female student of class 7 of the Tripura community to his government quarter around 9:00am.
“When they [the students] informed us, we went to the college and rescued her from the teacher’s room,” he said.
“The girl said the teacher raped her,” he said. “The people present there became angry and started beating him up.”
Aman Ullah Al Hasan, principal of the college, said people of the indigenous community attacked Sohel Rana on the college campus around 11:00am.
Later, Border Guard Bangladesh was deployed to maintain law and order.
Contacted, Mahmuda Begum, additional superintendent of police in Khagrachhari, said she was on the spot to maintain law and order and could not talk at that moment.