Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Quader and Detective Branch (DB) of Police OC Firoz Hossain have been withdrawn over allegedly assaulting local BNP men in Lalmonirhat.

The duo was withdrawn from their workplaces around this noon and attached to Lalmonirhat Police Lines, said Md Tariqul Islam, superintendent of Lalmonirhat police.

BNP men told The Daily Star that police detained three local BNP activists as they took photos of an event without permission. The two OCs and Awami League leader Akher Islam were present at the event held at a cold storage in Mostafi area yesterday evening.

Witnesses said when the news spread, over 100 BNP men immediately gathered in front of the cold storage. Later, the three men were released.

Later, BNP men blocked the Rangpur-Kurigram highway demanding punishment of the two police officers. Additional policemen were rushed to the spot and started charging batons at BNP men around 11:00pm. Several BNP men were injured.

Raju Ahmed, joint secretary of Gokunda Union BNP in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila, who was also injured in the incident, said the two OCs led the baton charge. About 20 BNP men were injured, he claimed.

OC Abdul Quader told the journalists, "Those who took pictures are drug dealers. We detained them. They were later released. We charged baton on the road blockers. We did not charge baton on any BNP men," he said.

Lalmonirhat Superintendent of Police Md Tariqul Islam said a probe committee has been formed in this regard.

The committee has been asked to submit a report within seven days. Actions will be taken based on the investigation report, the SP said.