Masum Billah, Ashasuni Correspondent: In a shocking act of sabotage, miscreants destroyed over 40–50 maunds of watermelon belonging to a local farmer in the dead of night in Pratappur’s Nakna village, causing financial losses exceeding one lakh taka.
The incident occurred on Thursday night at the farmer’s field in the Garui Mahal Khalpar area of Nakna village. According to sources, including the landowner, Mawlana Abdur Rashid, and farm manager Shafiqul Islam Mallik Faruqi, three teenage boys from a neighboring area had previously trespassed into the farm and eaten several watermelons without permission. When they were spotted leaving with additional watermelons, the farm manager confronted them, offered them the fruits they had taken, and warned them not to return, informing their guardians about the incident.
Just a day later, the farm was raided at night. Using sharp weapons, unknown assailants slashed and destroyed nearly 40–50 maunds of ripened watermelons, rendering the produce unsellable and causing extensive monetary loss.
A devastated Abdur Rashid expressed his sorrow, stating, “In this saline-prone region, I was one of the few trying to pioneer watermelon cultivation with hopes of success. The harvest was promising, and I thought I would finally make a profit. But now everything is ruined.”
He has called on local authorities and police to investigate the matter urgently and ensure exemplary punishment for those responsible, along with compensation for his losses.
LND/NE
