Following a double murder in sequel to land dispute at village Chuniapara under Ghoraghat upazila in Dinajpur district, houses of the accused have been set on fire and vandalised.

Later, a case was filed accusing as many as 1,200 persons.

Ghoraghat union's village policeman Sunil Chandra Das filed the case accusing 1,200 unidentified persons on Friday (January 27) night.

Confirming about registering the case, Ghoraghat Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Abu Hasan Kabir said a local village policeman has filed a case against 1,200 unidentified persons for their alleged involvement in attacking houses, setting those on fire, vandalising and looting. Efforts are going on to identify the accused.

He said four persons have so far been arrested in connection with double murders.

It is learnt that two persons -- Monwar Hossain Mim, 24 and Rakib Hossain, 25 -- were killed when rivals attacked them in the morning of January 25 last over land dispute in Chuniapara. After the namaj-e-janaza of the two murdered persons in the early afternoon on the following day, people belonging to the victims entered the houses of their rivals and set those on fire.

While setting the houses on fire, they launched attacks on the houses of their rivals being equipped with sticks, daos and spades. At that time, elderly men, women and children left their houses to save their lives.

Plaintiff Sunil Chandra Das stated in his case that inhabitants of village Khodadadpur and another nearby village attending the janaza and burial swooped on the rival's houses in village Chuniapara with bamboo sticks, daos and spades. At that time, policemen from the police station concerned and village defence police members tried to calm the situation. Later, additional police forces were brought from the the police station concerned. When they were trying to control the situation, the attackers set the tin-made houses of Chuniapara's Abdus Salam, Tota Mia, Nurul Islam and Hafizur Rahman on fire. They also set the haystacks there on fire.

During the attack, the attackers vandalised some 25 houses including the houses of Nazrul Islam, Shafiqul Islam, Nurul Islam, Mohammad Ali, Abdul Wahab, Mogen alias Makbul Hossain.

According to the case statement, damages and losses to property worth Tk 16.50 lakh were incurred due to setting the houses on fire, vandalising, looting of essentials and stealing cattle.

Later, additional police forces were brought in from the nearby police station to bring the situation under control.