The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Chittagong

At least 50 persons were injured, 10 of them seriously, were injured when two rival groups were locked into fierce clashes centering a land dispute and misappropriation of funds of a local mosque at Charkhagaria village of Satkania Upazila in the district Friday afternoon and this morning.

Police and local sources said both the groups of the same locality used lethal weapons and firearms to attack each other during the clashes.

Among the injured, 10 were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and the rest are being treated at local health complex.

The police arrested 13 persons on charges of their involvement in the fierce clashes. The arrested included Tajul Mulluk, 50, Mizanur Rahman, 27, Kamal Uddin, 25, Nurul Amin, 20, Ahmed Nabi, 45, Lokman, 20, Nasir Uddin, 25, Mohammed Sohel, 20, Mansur Ali, 20, Joinal Abedin, 27, Rubel, 16, Mohammed Bashir, 30, and Nazim Uddin, 25.

The rival groups one led by local UP Chairman Ahmedur Rahman Badsha and another by his former counterpart Nur Mohammed attacked each other at one stage of arbitration meeting to resolve the land dispute between Mohammed Musa and Sultan Ahmed of the same locality.

Badsha allegedly supported Sultan Ahmed while Nur Mohammed favoured Mohammed Musa. Both the groups had also a previous enmity over transaction and alleged misappropriation of funds of a local Mosque.

Apart from conventional weapons, they also traded eight rounds of gunshots during the clash that left at least 50 persons of the both the side wounded.

Being informed, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

UNO of Satkania Parimal Sarker and ASP of Police (Satkania Circle) Kazi Helal visited the area and asked the people to maintain peace.

They also assured them of taking legal actions against the persons responsible for the incident.

A team of police has been deployed in the locality to avert further clashes as a tense situation was prevailing there, the sources said.