An indigenous youth shot dead and another one injured by forest guard in Kaptai
On 8 July 2015, around 9:30 am an innocent indigenous youth named Raj Kumar Chakma (32) son of Krishna Moni Chakma was shot dead by the forest guard of Ghuttyabon Arachori forest office under Kaptai upazila Ranagmati district. In this armed attack, another indigenous villager named Mong Thui Marma (35) son of late Thui Aung Prue Marma was injured critically. No case was filed in this regard.
It is learnt that on that day Raj Kumar Chakma and Mong Thui Marma went to jungle to collect firewood while a group of forest guards led by Nirmal Kumar Kundu, beat officer of Kaptai forest department were patrolling the area. At that time, forest guards fired targeting them. Afterwards, Raj Kumar Chakma was spot dead and Mong Thui Marma was injured.
It is also reported that in a local arbitration, a compromise was made between the victim families and the forest department with a compensation amounting taka 200,000 for the family of deceased and taka 50,00 for the family of injured person. However, only taka 100,000 was received by the family of deceased so far.
It is worth mentioning that several unlawful killings, missing were committed allegedly for long time by forest department staff in this area. But they are not receiving any justice legally against such these incidents. Unhindered human right is contravening by killing indigenous people in these areas by forest department staff. Two remarkable occurrences of killing by forest guard can be mentioned here. On 7 April 2012 an indigenous adolescent named Ula Mong Marma (14) son of Thui Mra Chai Marma of village- Aga Para of Chitmorom union under Kaptai upazila of Rangamati district was allegedly killed by hitting on the head by forest guards of Karnophuli forest range of forest department and on 19 October 2012 an innocent indigenous Jum farmer named Priya Lal Tanchangya (35) was shot dead by forest guards.
