50 hurt in Dinajpur clashes, 25 houses damaged
110 injured in three other districts
Around two dozens of houses were vandalised or damaged by fire as two groups of villagers locked in a series of clashes over building a mosque on a disputed land in Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur yesterday.
At least 160 people were injured in clashes in four districts yesterday and the day before. More than 50 people were injured in sporadic clashes in Chirribandar upazila of Dinajpur yesterday, over building a mosque on a disputed land. During the clashes, rival gangs vandalised and torched several houses and looted a few others at Rajahat village, law enforcers and villagers said. According to the villagers, there had been a longstanding dispute between two local communities in the area over building a mosque near another religious establishment in Balaihat area of the upazila. Due to a tense situation over the issue, the local administration enforced Section 144 in the area from 6:00am yesterday. However, at around 9:30am, clashes ensued taking advantage of lax restriction. Meanwhile, the district administration prepared a list of 35 victims and 25 houses vandalised or damaged by arson. Local administration deployed BGB and police to avert further clashes. A temporary police camp has also been set up near the disputed land while construction of the mosque remained suspended, said Moinul Islam, Police Superintendent of Dinjapur. In Netrapona, at least 40 people were injured, four of them bullet-hut, in a clash between a fish trader of Itna upazila in Kishoreganj district and fisherman of Khaliajuri upazila in the district yesterday morning over taking control of Gugribadh waterbody in Khaliajuri upazila, reports our correspondent. Police said, the clash took place between the people of Mamun Chowdhury, a fish trader and UP chairman of Badla UP in Itna upazila and fishermen of Khaliajuri upazila. Mamun and his men attacked the fishermen with guns, sharp and lethal weapons. The fisherman retaliated, leaving at least 40 people from both groups injured. In Jhenidah, at least 20 people were injured in a clash between the people of two UP members at Chandpur village under Shailkupa upazila yesterday. Ten of the injured were admitted to Jhenidah Sadar Hospital, reports our correspondent. According to Phulhari UP chairman Feroj Ahmed, acting UP member Sahidul Islam and former UP member Abul Hossain locked in an altercation in the morning over a trivial matter and started to beat up the loyalists of each other, triggering the clash. In Narail, at least 50 people were injured in a fierce clash between two rival groups at Kanduri village under Kolabaria union in Kalia upazila on Friday noon, reports our correspondent. During he clash, at least seven houses were ransacked and looted. Police and locals said, there was a longstanding conflict between Kolabaria union parishad member Elius Mollah and Jalal Sheikh of Kanduri village. On Friday morning, a cow owned by Jalal Sheikh damaged a paddy field of Mukter Mollah, a supporter of Elius Mollah, triggering an altercation. Within minutes, two rival groups equipped with lethal weapons attacked each other, leaving at least 50 from both sides injured. The clashing groups also damaged seven houses.
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