At least 100 people including eight women were injured in a clash between supporters of Awami League-BNP from four villages – Haripur, Gopinathpur, Birgaon and Darigaon – under Nilokhya union in Raipura upazila of the district yesterday over supremacy in the locality.
According to police and witnesses, around 8am, Sudhan Mia who is a supporter of Jaj Mia, a local AL leader, went to Natun Bazar of Darigaon village but was beaten up by a rival group who were support-ers of BNP in the area.
After the incident, Jaj Mia along with almost 500 supporters attacked the houses of BNP leader Abdur Rahim and his men. Later, a clash broke out as Abdur Rahim and his men resisted the attacks and was locked in a chase and counter-chase, resulting in a seven-hour long altercation between the two rival groups.
The clash left at least 100 people injured including eight women from both groups. Almost 80 of the injured were admitted to private clinics in Bhairab and Dhaka to avoid police harassment and only 18 persons were admitted to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital.
Regarding the incident, local UP Chairman Abdul Haque Sarker said two rival groups led by AL and BNP leaders were involved in the long clash for supremacy in the locality.
He said such rivalry had killed around five persons and has injured over 2,000 in about eight years.
Police sources said they went to the spot on information and brought the situation under control. Addi-tional police were also deployed in the locality to control any further untoward situation, the sources added.