At least three people were shot to death and 32 others, including three cops, were injured during a clash in Kalihati upazila of Tangail yesterday afternoon between police and locals protesting the torture of a woman and her son.
Of the dead, Faruk, 20, a resident of Kalihati, breathed his last at Kalihati Upazila Health Complex and Kabir, 18, of Ghatail upazila, on his way to Tangail Medical College Hospital.
Another victim, Shyamal Chandra Paul, 38, of Ghatail died while being taken to the capital.
The three were among the six who suffered bullet injuries in the clash. The other three were undergoing treatment at different clinics and hospitals, including the upazila health complex and Tangail Medical College Hospital.
Witnesses said around 500 people of Atharodana and Hamidpur areas started a demonstration around 4:30pm protesting the torture of a woman and her son of Atharodana village in Ghatail by Rafiqul Islam Roma of Saturia village of the same upazila.
Marching in a procession, they went to lay siege to Kalihati Police Station near Kalihati Bus Stand area around 5:45pm. As they reached College Gate area, police intercepted them, baton-charged and fired teargas shells following an altercation with demonstrators.
Tangail-Mymensingh road was blocked at different points by the agitating locals for four hours till 8:00pm.
At one point, they started throwing brickbats at police, leaving SI of Kalihati police Faruk, constables Liakat, and Harun injured.
The witnesses said demonstrators also tried to snatch arms of police, prompting the law enforcers to fire 60-65 rounds of bullet.
On Tuesday, Rafiqul Islam Roma brutally beat up the mother and son, aged about 17, after “stripping them” at his residence, said locals.
At one stage, Roma’s brother-in-law Hafiz Uddin confined the duo to a room.
On information from villagers, police rescued the victims and arrested Roma later in the day. Following a case filed by the woman with Kalihati Police Station, Hafiz was arrested.
Locals said that Roma had a grudge against the boy who was having an “illicit relationship” with his wife. He had asked the mother and son to come to house on Tuesday, saying he just want to talk things out.
Shahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kalihati Police Station, claimed there were around 3,000 people coming towards the police station with local arms.
Barred by police, the mob attacked them, prompting them to open fire, he added.
The OC claimed none was killed in police firing. “They might have been killed while clashing with one another as the protesters were divided,” Shahidul claimed.
Police detained five from the spot.
Shahidul said they will be able to say everything after autopsy.
He said they arrested Roma and another person named Hafiz Uddin, yet the people tried to siege the police station. “It was ill motivated.”
