30 hurt as rival villagers clash over pond's share
Houses set on fire, shops looted in Tanore
A woman of Shindukai village breaks into tears after a rival group damaged her house during a fierce clash over control of a pond in Tanore upazila of Rajshahi yesterday.Photo: STAR
At least 30 people were injured in a fierce clash between two rival groups of villagers over control of a government pond in Tanore municipality yesterday. During the four-hour long clash, over 10 houses were set on fire and several shops looted, said police. Quoting locals, Abul Hashem, officer in-charge of Tanore police station, said residents of Gubirpara village had been enjoying a larger share of the pond, but Shindukai villagers recently claimed its equal share. Hundreds of people from two villages attacked each other with lethal weapons, leaving over 30 from both sides injured at around 7:00am when people of Shindukai village set up three water pumps in the pond. On information, police rushed in and took the situation under control. However, no one was arrested in this connection, the OC added. Of the injured, Shamsuddin, Abdul Hannan, Shafikul Islam, Sirajul Islam and Khalilur Rahman of Gubirpara and Abdul Bari, Fazlur Rahman and Siddik Ali of Shindukai were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital while the rest were given first aid. Ward councillor Mominul Islam, who led Gubirpara villagers, alleged that residents of Shindukai assaulted their women, elders and children. Abdus Salam, a resident of Shindukai village, accused that Gubirpara villagers torched their houses and looted shops after people fled the area, fearing arrest. Later, a fire fighting unit from Rajshahi city rushed to the spot and doused the blaze, he said. The affected house owners include Nur Muhammad, Abdul Gaffar, Ilias Ali, Ershad Shah, Rubel, Abdus Sattar, Saifuddin, Abdus Salam, Abul Hossain and Siddik Ali. Additional police and Rab personnel have been deployed there to aver further trouble, the OC said.
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