At least 15 villagers including women were injured in staggered clashes for around five hours over feudal issues between two local groups in Sadar upazila of Brahmanbaria on Monday.
Police charged batons and fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control. A tense situation was prevailing in the area as of filing this report at 7 pm.
Police and locals said there had long been a dispute between Dola Bari Group and Khane Bari-Siraj Ali Bari Group over territorial supremacy in Kaliseema Paschim Para under Natai Dakshin union of the upazila.
Of them, current member of Zilla Parishad Babul Miah leads Khane Bari-Siraj Ali Bari Group while former UP member Arju Miah leads Dola Group.
Supporters of Babul allegedly beat up Dola Group’s Shawkat and his son on Sunday evening. Locals tried to settle the matter last night but failed.
Later on Monday morning, arbitration was called to resolve at Sadar police station.
Supporters of the both groups equipped with locally-made arms got locked into clashes when the arbitration was going on around 11am, witnesses said.
At least 15 villagers were injured and several homes and structures badly damaged in the clashes lasted four five hours.
Of the injured, Harris Miah, Babu, Shakib, Firoz Mia, Sohag Mia, Hanif Mia, Billal Mia, Rozina Akter, Siraj Mia and Noab Mia, were admitted to Sadar Hospital and the rest were receiving treatment at various private clinics.
Md Sohel Ahmed, inspector (operations) of Sadar police station, said they used more than 50 rounds of rubber bullets and charged batons to bring the situation under control.
Additional police personnel were deployed in the area to avoid further untoward incidents, he added.
