20 hurt as rival AL men clash in Rajshahi
At least 20 people were injured as two rival groups of Awami League (AL) clashed at Bagha upazila headquarters yesterday over the leadership of the upazila unit of the ruling party and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
Mozammel Haque, Bagha upazila AL General Secretary and also a teacher of Shah Doula Degree College, was rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital with several cut injuries in the clash as he was hacked indiscriminately on his way home from the college.
The clashes erupted at around 1:30pm after BCL men supported by Layeb Uddin Lavlu, organising secretary of the central unit of Sechchhwasebak League beat up Zakir Hossain Sumon, a BCL activist loyal to Bagha Poura Mayor Akkas Ali's group at the college premises.
In retaliation, Akkas Ali's group beat up Mostafa Kamal, brother of the upazila unit BCL general secretary Mamunur Rahman, in front of the college.
The group then attacked the hardware shop of Zahangir Hossain, a Lavlu's man at Bagha Bazar, and looted the shop.
The attackers then waylaid Sanwar Hossain, a teacher loyal to Lavlu's group, and beat him with hockey sticks.
Following the incident, panic gripped the area while businessmen kept their shutters down and communication on the road remained snapped for three hours.
As police intervened to pacify the situations, AL men assaulted Sub-inspector Abdus Sattar and a police constable of Bagha thana, said witnesses.
However, Aminur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Bagha police station denied any such incident.
Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury, additional SP of Rajshahi, rushed to the scene and took control of the situation.
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