Two AL men killed in infighting

Two Awami League activists were killed and three others injured in an attack by members of a rival group of the ruling party in the district's Shailakupa upazila yesterday.

The dead -- Obhi Hossain, 25, and his cousin Laltu Hossain, 45, -- were from Dhuliapara village in the same upazila, police said.

Locals said there was a long-standing rivalry between two groups of local AL men, led by Mokbul Muhuri and Abdur Rashid Khan, in Dhuliapara village over establishing supremacy.

Around 11:30am yesterday, some supporters of Rashid, carrying spears, machetes and other sharp weapons, attacked a group of supporters of Mokbul, leaving five of the latter's followers injured, said Shailakupa OC Bazlur Rahman.

Obhi and Laltu died on the way to the upazila health complex around noon. The three other injured were admitted to the medical facility.

In the afternoon, injured Lokman Hossain was sent to Kushtia General Hospital as his condition deteriorated, the OC added.

Bazlur said the leaders of the both groups are supporters of Salauddin Joardar Mamun, organising secretary of Kacherkol union AL and also the chairman of Kacherkol Union Parshad.

The bodies of the deceased were handed to their relatives in the afternoon after autopsies were carried out on those at the morgue of Jhenidah Sadar Hospital, police said.

The two were buried at their family graveyard in Dhuliapara village.

Police were preparing a case in connection with the incident.