According to a report published by Hill Voice, October 2, 2024, Sohel Rana, the Chief Instructor of the Construction and Safety Department at Khagrachari Technical School and College, raped a 7th-grade Tripura student. To escape the mob of outraged students seeking retribution, he attempted to flee by climbing over a wall but was hit by a vehicle, leading to her death.
Eyewitnesses state that on Tuesday (October 1) at around 9 AM, teacher Sohel Rana lured the 7th-grade Tripuri girl into his quarters under false pretenses. When her classmates noticed her absence, a group of them went to the principal to ask about her whereabouts.
Subsequently, the girl was rescued from the teacher's room in the presence of police and local officials. The girl reported that the teacher had held her captive and raped her.
In response to this revelation, an infuriated group of students confronted the teacher and began to physically assault him. During the chaos, while trying to escape from the students, he was knocked unconscious after being struck by a battery-operated vehicle. He was later pronounced dead by doctors at the hospital.
Following this event, settler Bengalis attacked the students, leading to a chaotic chase and counter-chase between the two groups. During this confrontation, a Jumma student was injured in the eye due to the settlers' attack, and several other students and local Jumma residents were also reported to have sustained injuries.
As news of the incident spread, settler Bengalis from nearby areas gathered around 2 PM, armed with sticks and local weapons, to launch an attack on the indigenous communities. This resulted in further clashes between the settlers and the indigenous people.
The settlers subsequently attempted to attack Mahajan Para, but local youth and residents successfully defended their community. When two military vehicles arrived at the scene, the local indigenous defenders were forced to retreat. Taking advantage of the situation, the settlers vandalized shops, looted properties in front of the army, and even set fire to a house. Witnesses reported that although the army and police were present, they did not intervene to stop the attackers, and some were even seen assisting the settlers.
During this time, a devotee named Ujjwal Marma from the South Khibongpujje Ideal Buddhist Monastery was severely injured when settlers attacked him from behind. He was later hospitalized in critical condition. Reports indicate that Ujjwal Marma is from the Ulta-Chhari village in the Logang area of Panchhari upazila. Additionally, two other individuals were injured in the settler attacks: Kanta Moni Chakma, a former municipal councilor, son of Arun Kumar Chakma, and Shyamal Kanti Chakma, son of Bhuzlal Chakma.
Meanwhile, the settlers set fire to a Buddha statue and other items taken from a Rakhine shop in Kalyanpur. They also attempted to assault areas with hill populations, including Madhupur, Kalyanpur, Pankhaiya Para, College Gate, and Sluice Gate.
In response to the violence, the local administration imposed Section 144 in the city indefinitely from 3 PM yesterday. The situation in Khagrachari city and its surrounding areas remains tense.