Three shot dead in clash over supremacy

Three villagers were killed and seven others injured after a local Awami League leader and his two brothers allegedly opened fire on them at Moshiali village of Atra-Gilatla Eastern Gate area in Khulna city on Thursday night.

The shooting took place around 8:30pm over leadership of a local madrasa management committee.

Attacker Zakaria Sheikh was suspended last night from the committee Khan Zahan Ali Thana Awami League.

Angry locals then beat to death a close associate of Zakaria Sheikh.

The men shot dead were Mohammad Nazrul Islam, 45, Golam Rosul, 30, and Saiful Islam, 27.

Nazrul Islam and Golam Rosul died at the scene while Saiful Islam died at Khulna Medical College Hospital.

The man killed by the mob was Jihad Hossain, 38. He also died at the hospital.

The feuding parties are members of a clan.

Locals said, Zakaria, former co-publicity secretary of Khan Zahan Ali area Awami League, and his brothers detained a villager named Mojibor Sheikh and handed him to police on Thursday evening alleging that the latter possessed illegal firearms.

The incident angered locals and about 50 people then went to Zakaria's house and clashed with Zakaria, his brothers and their cohorts. At one stage, Zakaria Sheikh and his brothers Zafarin Sheikh and Milton Sheikh opened fire on them, locals said.

The men injured were Afsar Sheikh, 65, Ibrahim Sheikh, 26, Jewel Sheikh, 35, Rana Sheikh, 22, Ravi Sheikh, 40, Shamim Sheikh, 25 and Saiful Islam, 26. The injured have been admitted to Khulna Medical College Hospital.

Following the incident, the aggrieved villagers set fire to 11 houses, including those belonging to Zakaria, Zafarin and Milton. Around 11:00pm, a fire service unit went to the spot and doused the fire, officials said.

Visiting the area around 11:00am yesterday, it was seen that hundreds of men and women guarded the village. They are not allowing police and journalists to enter the area.

Sheikh Jahangir Hossain, former chairman of Atra-Gilatla Union Parishad, who was present at the spot, told The Daily Star that the three brothers were very influential in the area and there was no case against them.

Niloy Sheikh, nephew of the victim Nazrul, told The Daily Star that Zakaria and his men were upset after losing the managing committee election of Mashiali Alia Madrasa.

Tasadbar Ali, another relative of Nazrul, said after losing the election, he threatened to kill Nazrul and several others.

Zafarin is an expelled vice-president of Khulna city Chhatra League.

Mollah Jahangir Hossain, deputy commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police, said one of Zakaria's associates was arrested in Jessore. Several teams are working to arrest other suspects.

Filing of a case is underway, he added.