Rival AL groups lock in fierce gun battle
30 hurt, 20 of them by bullets
At least 30 people were injured, 20 of them by bullets, in a fierce clash between two rival factions of local Awami League at Paddabila Bazar in Nariarchar village under Terokheda upazila on Friday night.
Police said the two factions, one led by lawmaker Molla Jalaluddin (khulna-4 constituency) and the other by Terokheda Upazila Chairman Sharfuddin Biswas Bachchu, also the organising secretary of Khulna district Awami League, clashed over taking control of the area.
Supporters of the two factions traded over 100 bullets and used spears, iron rods and arrows during the clash that continued for three hours from 7:00pm, police and witnesses said. They said 13 houses at the village and six shops at the bazaar were looted and set on fire.
Thirteen of the bullet-hit people are undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College and Hospital while the rest at the upazila health complex and different clinics.
Police and members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) brought the situation under control at around 10:00pm. Police raided Nahirchar village early yesterday and picked up 23 people of both factions from there. They also recovered 156 spears, 28 arrows and 15 daggers the village.
Ten platoons of police and Rab members have been deployed at the village and its adjacent areas to avert any further incident.
According to Additional Police Superintendent Molla Jahangir Hossain, the clash was a sequel to previous rivalry between both factions of the ruling party over establishing supremacy in the area.
Sub-Inspector (SI) Mosharrraf Hossain lodged a case as complainant with Terokheda Police Station at 3:00pm yesterday, naming 23 arrestees and 2,000 unidentified others as accused.
Lawmaker Molla Jalaluddin and Terokheda Upazila Chairman Sharfuddin Biswas Bachchu yesterday issued two separate statements, blaming each other for Friday night's clash that left 30 people from both sides injured.
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