Mukti Fouj spearheading attacks in the heart of Dacca
NEW DELHI. JULY 15 – Mukti fauj volunteers have now started attacking West Pakistan troops in broad daylight even in cities like Dacca and Sylhet, say agencies.
According to a delayed report from Bangladesh freedom fighters firing from a running jeep recently killed a sentry and injured another at the gate of the residence of the Governor. Major Gen. Tikka khan in Dacca.
Four Pakistani troops were killed in an exchange of fire with the Bangladesh Liberation Forces in Kamdevpur on the eastern bank of Bhairab River last night. According to reports the encounter continued for three hours.
According to another report, the Pakistani Army also attacked the Mukti Fouj at Mahesh Kundi and Pragpur and at Shahunagar early this morning. Unable to meet the heavy gun fire of the Liberation Forces they later retreated.
Pakistani troops fired on groups of evacuees crossing into India from Kushtia district in the past two days killing some and injuring at least 18.
The injured evacuees who managed to cross the border were admitted to hospital at Karimpur about 100 km. from Krishnagar. Three of them, two brothers and their sister, died later.
According to survivors, about 200 evacuees from Faridpur district were walking towards the border along the Alamdanga-Meherpur road. When they reached Bamandanga near the border Pakistani troops suddenly made their appearances and started firing. They said several evacuees were killed.
The troops also fired on another group of evacuees at Kushtia yesterday. But the number of casualties is not known.
Our Cooch Behar Correspondent adds : Mukti Fouj in Rangpur district raided the Pak Army camp at Kaunia where they were guarding the Teesta rail bridge. Six Pak Army Men were killed in this raid. At Hatibandha about 60 Muslim Leaguers armed with guns forcibly harvested aus paddy from the fields of local when Mukti Fouj attacked them with light machine-guns. Here Mukti Fouj killed seven Muslim Leaguers seized their guns and recovered the harvesteed paddy from the miscreants.
Agencies further add : An Indian national. Panchanan Mondal (50) was kidnapped by Pakistani troops after intruding into the border village Teinpur in Karimpur police station area on Tuesday according to a report.
Meanwhile Indian border guards captured six suspected Pakistani spies near the border village Gede.
Mr. Mohammad Salam Chowdhury, a prominent Awami League leader of Thakurgaon subdivision in Bangladesh, was recently shot dead by the Pakistani Army.
The reports said some Jamat-e-Islami and Muslim League leaders who protested against the brutal murder, were also not spared, the Pakistani soldiers lined them up and machine-gunned them.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 16.07.1971