One of the victims of the arson attacks on indigenous homes and shops in three villages in Rangamati filed a case with Longadu Police Station yesterday.

On behalf of all the victims, Kishor Kumar Chakma, 50, of Tintila village, filed the lawsuit against 79 named and 500 unnamed accused. He also demanded compensation for them, said Mominul Islam, officer-in-charge of the police station.

On June 2, Bangalee settlers unleashed a series of arson attacks on the indigenous community in Longadu upazila after police recovered the body of Nurul Islam Nayan, organising secretary of Sadar union unit Jubo League. More than 200 houses and shops were looted, vandalised and burned to ashes, according to victims.

Later in the night, police sued more than 400 people over the incident.

Asked, the OC said the two cases would be investigated separately.

Police on Saturday arrested two persons-- Runel Chakma and Junel Chakma -- in Dighinala upazila of Khagrachhari in connection with the killing of Nayan.

Meanwhile, Parbatya Chattagram Bangalee Chhatra Parishad observed a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Rangamati yesterday, demanding immediate arrest of Nayan's killer(s) and protesting “mass arrest of Bangalee settlers” following the arson attacks.

Except some motorbikes, no vehicles plied the roads in the district, forcing many to walk to their destinations during the 12-hour strike that ended at 6:00pm. 

Contacted, Md Rashid, OC of Kotwali Police Station, said there was no untoward incident during the hartal.