Mymensingh village cop dies in post-polls violence

A village defence policeman was strangled in Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh yesterday following, what police said, an election rivalry between two member candidates of Union Parishad polls, reports our Mymensingh correspondent.

The body of Idris Ali, 50, was found in a field in Narikeli village in Bhaitakandi union of the upazila in the early hours, said police.

Idris campaigned for Noor Islam, who was elected Bhaitakandi UP member three days ago, angering his rival candidate Abdul Majid, Phulpur police quoted the family and locals as saying.

Majid along with his supporters called Idris out of his house saying that they would settle the dispute around 12:00am, police said.

As Idris did not return even after two hours, his son Ashiqul Islam informed police.  Police sent the body to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy. Following a murder case filed by Ashiqul, police arrested Majid's son Mahbub Hossain, 21, brother Md Shahjahan, 35, Suruj Ali, 55, and Mahmudul Islam, 25.

Drives are being conducted to arrest Majid, who is on the run, said police.

Meanwhile, at least three persons, including a Swechchhasebak League leader, were injured in a pre-election clash between the supporters of two ruling Awami League-nominated candidates of UP election in Kaharol upazila on Thursday night, our Dinajpur correspondent reports.

They are Subodh Chandra Roy, 30, Asif Reza Rubel, 39, president of Kaharol upazila Swechchhasebak League, and Husne Mobarak Ranak, 22, an AL-backed candidate of Ramchandrapur union.

The election will be held on March 31.

Witnesses said supporters of AL-nominated Bablu Rahim were pasting posters in Ishapur village around 11:40pm, leading the supporters of AL rebel candidate Moniram Roy to protest it.

Within a moment, the area turned into a battlefield and both the groups used sharp weapons during the clash, they said.

Subodh was taken to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital while the others to Kaharol Upazila Health Complex.

Meanwhile, Chandpur AL yesterday suspended 10 rebel candidates and Moulvibazar BNP suspended five such candidates of the recent Union Parishad election, say our correspondents.