Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 611 Thu. February 16, 2006  
   
Front Page


2 killed, 200 hurt in clash over trivial matter


Two people were killed and over 200 others injured, as the villagers of two villages clashed over a trifling matter at Umednagar in Baniachang upazila yesterday.

The dead are Lal Mia, 45, of Pataria village, and Abdus Shahid, 42, of Umednagar village. Shahid died from bullet wounds.

Witnesses and hospital sources said a number of policemen were also injured in the clash that ensued following an altercation between a rickshawpuller of Umednagar village and a passenger of Pataria village over rickshaw fare.

Some villagers of Umednagar along with the rickshawpuller beat up the passenger in the morning, causing strong resentment among the villagers of Pataria, they added.

Police said the angry villagers of Pataria came to Umednagar at about 10:00 am to take revenge and turned the area into a "battlefield."

The rival villagers swooped on each other with firearms and lethal weapons during the four-hour battle, killing two on the spot and injuring over 200 people.

The feuding groups also beat up and injured local union parishad (UP) chairman Sajib Ali.

On information, police rushed to the scene, fired 93 rounds of bullets and teargas shells to bring the situation under control.

The injured were rushed to hospitals and clinics.

As tension was prevailing in the two villages, riot police and paramilitary BDR have been deployed in the area to avert further violence.