2 held over attack on Ghoraghat UNO Wahida

Two persons including the prime accused have been arrested in connection with a case filed over the attack on Ghoraghat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Wahida Khanam in Dinajpur.

The arrestees were identified as- prime accused Asadul Islam, and Jahangir Alam.

They were arrested from Hakimpur and Ghoraghat upazila of Dinajpur on early Friday, said Hakimpur police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ferdous Wahid, adding that the drives were jointly conducted by members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police.

Law enforcers identified them by analyzing the CCTV footage of the UNO’s residence, he said.

“Acting on a tip-off, a team of police from Hakimpur, Birampur and Ghoraghat police stations, and RAB members conducted coordinated drives at the Kaliganj borderinf areas of Hakimpur upazila around 3:45 am and arrested Asadul from his sister’s house,” said the OC.

Later, Asadul was taken to RAB office in Rangpur. RAB also arrested Jahangir Alam in another drive in Ghoraghat upazila of the district, the OC added.

Earlier on Thursday, brother of UNO Wahida Khanam filed a case with Ghoraghat police station.

UNO Wahida Khanam and her father were severely injured when they came under attack by miscreants at her official residence in Ghoraghat upazila around 2:00 am on Thursday.

Following the attack, the duo was admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH). As Wahida’s condition deteriorated Thursday morning, she was airlifted to Dhaka.

Waheda Khanam became unconscious after sustaining severe injuries on the left side of her head which triggered the entire right side of her body to be paralyzed, said doctors at the time.

An air ambulance, carrying the UNO, took off from Rangpur cantonment around 1:00 pm Thursday. Upon arrival in the capital, she was admitted to National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital.

Later, Wahida gained consciousness after undergoing a successful surgery at the National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital.

Her condition is now stable but she is still under observation at the intensive care unit of the hospital, said the hospital’s Deputy Director Dr Badrul Alam on Friday morning.