Law enforcement agencies have arrested nine people for their alleged involvement in the recent communal attacks on Hindu temples, idols and properties during the Durga Puja celebrations at Chowmuhani in Noakhali's Begumganj upazila. Md Nizam Uddin, 32, Md Russell, 36, Abdul Motaleb Bablu alias Bablu, 47, Md Shahadat Hossain, 34, Golam Kibria Sumon, 32, Anwarul Azim, 40, of Begumganj upazila, were arrested by Rab. Khandaker Md Shamim Hossain, Rab-11 company commander in a press release issued on Wednesday said they arrested the accused from different parts of Begumganj on Tuesday. The Rab official said they arrested them after identifying through CCTV footages from the spots. Read: Stay alert against communal forces, says Quader The arrested have been handed over to the police in 4 cases filed with Begumganj Model Police Station, said Rab. Meanwhile, the police arrested three people after seeing video footage of protests and attacks at different places including Puja Mandapas in  Chowmuhani  Bazar of Begumganj Upazila. District Superintendent of Police Mohammad Shahidul Islam PPM confirmed this on Wednesday noon. He added that a total of 80 people have been arrested in this regard. Read: No tolerance for communal attacks: Quader On Friday, some miscreants in the Chowmuhani Bazar area vandalized and carried out arson attacks on puja mandaps, Hindu temples and some shops. To keep the situation under control, additional troops of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action battalion (Rab), armed police and other law enforcement agencies were deployed in the area. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shamsun Nahar said the situation in the area is peaceful after the imposition of section 144.

As many as 72 cases regarding last week’s communal violence have been registered and 450 people have been arrested across the country till Tuesday, police said. AIG (Inspection) of police headquarter Mohammad Shah Jalal, who is in additional charge of AIG (Media), said on Wednesday more cases are being filed and the operation to arrest the accused is continuing. Besides the police, special units of the force have been involved in unravelling the facts behind the violence and crime, he said. Technology-based investigations are underway to unravel the mystery quickly. Cyber monitoring has also been intensified to curb rumours and incitement through social media.