Followers of local Awami League leaders engage in factional clashes at Raipura upazila in Narsingdi on Monday, leaving at least four people killed.
At least four people were killed and 35 others injured, five of them police, during triangular clashes for five hours since 11.30 AM on Monday between two local groups of ruling Awami League and the police in four contiguous villages in Nilokhiya union, Raipura, Narsingdi.
The root cause of the clashes, which occur from time to time in the union leaving many casualties over rivalry for controlling the trouble torn area having sizeable khas land in newly formed chars, said locals.
Police said clashes were regular phenomena in the area.
During Monday’s clashes, a group was led by union parishad chairman Tajul Islam and the other by former UP chairman Abdul Haque Sarker, both local AL leaders.
The dead include, Manik Mia, 42, Mamun, 39, and Shahajahan, 40, of Amirabad village and Khokna, 38, of Sonakandi village, all supporters of the former UP chairman.
Relatives alleged that Manik, Khokon and Mamun were killed in police firing while Shahajahan was killed stuck by spear thrown by rivals.
Relatives said that two of them died on the spot and one died on the way to hospital, all in police firing.
One of them were hit by bullets at Sonakanda while two at Amirabad, they said.
At least 10 houses of supporters of the former UP chairman were set on fire and reduced to ashes and 20 other houses also of his supporters were damaged by rivals, according to locals and the police.
Police and witnesses said hundreds of supporters of the new UP chairman carrying sticks and sharp weapons, led by Sumed Ali, Zakir Hossain and Abdur Rahim launched simultaneous attacks on the houses of supporters of the rival camp in Gopinathpur, Birgaon, Amirabd and Haripur, four contiguous villages at about 11 AM.
They said that the attack was a sequel to Sunday’s attacks carried out by the supporters of the former chairman against the rivals in the same villages leaving at least 50 injured, eight houses burnt and 20 houses damaged.
They said that the Monday’s clashes ensued as the former chairman’s supporters retaliated.
Raipura police station officer-in-charge Azharul Islam hospitalized with injuries he suffered in the clashes told New Age he rushed to the spot accompanying magistrate Humayun Kabir with a contingent of over 100 police men as soon as he got the information about the clashes.
He said that the police bid to control the rival groups by firing tear gas shells failed as the police came under attack from the villagers in which four cops besides he himself suffered injuries.
At one stage, said the OC, on orders from the magistrate the police contingent opened blank fire to disperse the clashing groups.
At least 30 people of both the groups were injured in the clashes, said witnesses.
Raipura police station said that they rescued 20 seriously injured persons and sent them to Narsingdi Zila Hospital and Narsingdi Sadar Hospital.
Shahjahan Mia, with serious injuries was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital from the Sadar Hospital but he died on the way, they said.
Narsingdi additional superintendent of police (crime) Hasibul Alam claimed that only one person was killed by rivals and none was died in police firing.
He said that the police opened blank fire to bring the situation under control after OC Azharul Islam, sub-inspectors Asad Mia, Mozammel Haque and Ziaur Rahman and constable Zillur Rhaman were injured in attacks by villagers.
All of them were admitted to Narsingdi Zila Hospital, he said.
Villagers, Zahirul Islam, Abdul Ohab Mia, Shamsuddin, Abdur Rahman, Ansar, Minu , Dud Meher, Farid Shipon, Roji, Rakib, Shamim and Rabiullah were admitted to the two government hospitals in the district town with serious injuries, said doctors.
Villagers said that many more injured were secretly taken to the capital and Brahmanbaria and admitted to different hospitals to avoid arrest.
Police said they arrested Ripon and Ridoy with bullet injuries from Narsingdi Sadar Hospital.
Neither the new UP chairman Tajul Islam nor his predecessor Abdul Haque Sarker could be contacted for comments as their mobile phones were switched off.
The police station said it recorded no cases until Monday night.
Police force have been deployed in the trouble torn union, said police station officials.
Source: New Age
