Three Sufi Muslims have been attacked and their hair chopped off by eight unidentified men in western Bangladesh's border town with India, the second incident in less than two weeks when three singers, including two women, were assaulted in a similar manner.
Police said unidentified men attacked an 'Akhra' (a place where mystic singers Bauls stay) in the wee hours today in the district's Damurhuda Upazila.
Julmot Ali Shah, his wife Momena Khatun and another person Harendranath were tied to a tree and tortured.
Julmot said: "Eight to ten people armed with sharp weapons and hand bombs attacked the house when we were sleeping".
"They first snapped the electricity connection; then tied me, my wife Momena Khatun and my friend Harendranath to two trees and tortured us severely," he said.
While leaving the place, the attackers torched two houses pouring petrol.
"They told us to leave the area within 10 days or they will slaughter us and bomb the house," Julmot was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune.
An eight-year-old boy who fled the house during the attack, later freed them and called the locals.
Chuadanga Superintendent of Police Rashidul Hasan visited the place yesterday noon and directed the officials concerned to arrest the culprits. A case has been filed.
On July 17, three elderly Sufi Muslims, including two women, were attacked in their sleep by machete- wielding men.
Rashida Khatun, 60, Abdur Rahim, 65, and his wife Bulu Begum, 50, were injured in the attack.
