Scores more injured in post-UP poll violence
Indigenous women wait for their turn at Khayerbari Primary School polling centre in Phulbari upazila during yesterday's union parishad election in Phulbari and Birampur upazilas of Dinajpur district. Photo: STAR
At least 85 people, including 12 members of law enforcement agencies, were injured in post-UP poll violence in Sirajganj, Gaibandha and Thakurgaon districts on Sunday night. Our Sirajganj correspondent reported that three separate incidents of violence in Sadar upazila left at least 50 people, including the officer-in-charge of Ullapara Police Station and four Rab members, injured. Of the injured, 20 including Ullapara OC Tajul Huda and four Rab men, were admitted to Sirajganj General Hospital. Police said the first incident occurred at Harina Hata polling centre in Bohuli Union where the supporters of two defeated member candidates clashed after counting of votes. At least 15 people from both sides were injured during the clash. Police fired 22 rounds of rubber bullets to bring the situation under control. Later, the unruly mob attacked the law enforcers who were carrying ballot boxes to upazila headquarters, leaving at least 20 people, including four Rab members, injured. Another incident took place at Golami Dumur polling centre in the same union where the supporters of two chairman candidates locked in a clash after counting of votes. The clash left at least 15 people from both sides injured. In Gaibandha, post-election clashes left at least 20 people, including two cops, injured in Sunderganj upazila. After counting of ballot papers at Bazra Kanchibari Govt Primary School centre in Kanchibari Union, the presiding officer of the centre along with police was going to Sunderganj upazila headquarters in a microbus to deposit the ballot boxes. When they reached Char Masjid area of Bazra village, thousands of supporters of a defeated candidate waylaid the microbus, swooped on the presiding officers and law enforcers and snatched a Chinese rifle from a cop. As they tried to snatch ballot boxes, police fired 40 rounds of blank shots and four rounds of tear gas sells to disperse the unruly people. During the clash, seven people, including a constable, sustained injuries. Police and arrested five people but could not recover the rifle as of 6:00pm yesterday. At Gopal Charan Govt Primary School centre in Dahabandh Union, the supporters of defeated member candidate Yunus Ali attacked polling officers and policemen soon after the announcement of election results. Police fired ten rounds of blank shots to disperse the unruly people. In Thakurgaon, at least 10 people, including an assistant presiding officer and two polling officers, were injured as the supporters of a defeated member candidate attacked them at Thakithuki Registered Primary School centre in Amgaon Union under Haripur upazila at around 10:00pm on Sunday. After counting of votes at the centre, the supporters of a member candidate rejected the results and attacked the presiding and polling officers. Police fired five rounds of blank shots, dispersed the angry supporters of the member and brought the situation under control. After a few minutes, the supporters of the defeated member candidate again entered the centre and confined the presiding and polling officers to a room. As Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Baliadangi Md Moniruzzaman and an executive magistrate reached the spot, the angry mob attacked their vehicles. The striking force rushed to the spot and rescued the presiding and polling officers. Police arrested defeated member Rafiqul Islam and his three supporters, Jewel, Enamul and Kajol on the spot. In Khagrachhari, five policemen were injured in post-UP poll violence at Birshrestha Munshi Abdur Rouf High School centre of Maischhari Union under Mohalchhari upazila on Sunday. The injured cops are Sub-Inspector Abdullah Al Harun, Nayek Ashraf Ali, and constables Ismail Hossain, Ripon Mia and Suhrawardy . They are undergoing treatment at Khagrachhari Adhunik Sadar Hospital. Officer-in-charge (OC) of Mohalchhari Police Station said the criminals attacked the policemen in a bid to snatch ballot boxes from the centre. Later, police arrested six people for their alleged involvement in the incident. They are Farhad Ali, Jahirul Islam, Taj Uddin, Raihanul Islam, Omar Ali and Shahidul Islam.
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