7 of a family hurt in ‘teen gang’ attack

Seven members of a family were injured in an alleged attack by a teen gang in the capital's Mohammadpur early yesterday.

The incident took place around 1:45am in Jafrabad near Ityadi Mor, said Hafizur Rahman, inspector (investigation) of Mohammadpur Police Station.

Quoting locals, police said 10-12 youths armed with sharp weapons stormed the house and hacked the victims before fleeing, spreading panic in the area.

The injured are Abul Kashem, 55; his sons Rabbi, 27, and Sabbir, 30; nephews Swapan, 40, Afzal, 35, and Mamun, 40; and his sister Fatema Begum, 50.

Sabbir and Rabbi are receiving treatment at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, while Swapan is being treated at a city hospital.

According to family members, Rabbi confronted two youths, who were spotted loitering near the house.

As an altercation broke out, more teenagers, allegedly part of a local gang, joined the two youths. They first attacked Rabbi, and when his family members rushed to his aid, the attackers stormed the house and hacked six more people before fleeing, they said.

Police suspect the gang had a prior conflict with some of the family members.

No arrests have been made so far, but several suspects from the nearby areas have been identified through CCTV footage, Inspector Hafizur said.

Filing of a case is underway, he added.