Security was beefed up in Dighinala upzila on Friday, a day after over 50 shops and other establishments were set on fire during clashes following the death of a Bengali man, Md Mamum, in a mob beating.

On Thursday miscreants set fire to the shops and establishments, mostly belonging to the indigenous people, at ‘Larma Square’ and surrounding areas in Dighinala upazila of Khagrachhari centring the death of Mamun on suspicion he stole a motorbike owned by an indigenous person, witnesses said.

They said local Bengali students brought out a procession from Dighinala Government College on Thursday afternoon demanding justice for the 30-yeard-old victim Mamun who was allegedly lynched by members of a hill organisation on Wednesday.

A chase and counter-chase occurred between the protesting students and the members of the indigenous organisation when the demonstration was crossing the Larma Square, they said.

A clash broke out between the two groups, leaving at least five injured, the witnesses said. They were admitted to Upazila Health Complex later.

Being informed, members form the Army and Border Guard Bangladesh rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, said Khagrachari Deputy Commissioner Md Sahiduzzaman.

He informed the Army and the BGB personnel have been deployed to avoid any further trouble with the law enforcement agencies patrolling the area.

Dighinala police station’s Officer-in-Charge Nurul Huq confirmed the arson on the Larma Square, but he gave no further details.