A group of people believed to be drug traders, snatched away an alleged drug peddler from police custody after physically assaulting two police officers in Hatibandha Upazila of Lalmonirhat district on Thursday.
The injured cops were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) Ayub Ali and Rafiqul Islam of Hatibandha Police Station.
According to police and local sources, a team from Hatibandha Police Station conducted an anti-narcotics drive in the area and detained an alleged drug trader along with narcotics from Madhya Singimari area of the upazila in the afternoon.
Police handcuffed the suspect during the operation.
As news of the arrest spread, a group of alleged drug traders reportedly launched a sudden attack on the police team with locally made weapons. They beat the officers and freed the detainee along with the handcuffs, said Officer-in-Charge of Hatibandha Police Station Ramjan Ali
Drives are underway to arrest the escaped accused and others involved in the assault, he said.