A college student was hacked to death by the associates of a lawmaker during a clash over a dispute on land ownership in the capital’s Pallabi area yesterday afternoon.
The deceased, Abdur Rahman Chanchal, was caught in the middle of the clash between two rival groups in the area, one of which is affiliated with MA Awal, member of parliament from Lakshmipur 1 constituency and leader of Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, locals told the Dhaka Tribune. Chanchal was a student at Bangabandhu College in Mirpur.
Witnesses said the clash broke out in the morning between the groups of Momen Baksh – who is associated with lawmaker Awal – and Shahinuddin Shahin inside a ceramic factory in Pallabi when Momen’s group went to put up a signboard on the 120-bigha land to establish ownership.
Ansar Commander Didar Hossain, who was stationed in the area, said Momen’s men chased Shahin’s men with machetes and sticks.
The dispute continued as the groups chased and counter-chased each other, spreading panic among the locals. Chanchal, who happened to be in the area, tried to find a safe place, but as he ran, Momen’s men mistook him as a member of Shahin’s group and attacked him.
He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in critical condition, where the doctor on duty pronounced him dead.
Sources at the DMCH said Chanchal’s body had lacerations on his limbs, back and waist.
When contacted, Awal said his men were attacked by the rival group when they tried to establish their rights on the land.
He said Momen was a contractor who acquired the land for him.
Six more people of both the groups were also injured in the clash. Three of them – Shahin, 30, Rajib Hossain, 28, and Mohammad Ali, 25 – were stabbed severely and taken to the DMCH.
Police are quizzing the injured admitted at the hospital and will focus on Chanchal’s murder for now, said Mohammad Jasim Uddin, additional deputy commissioner.
Asked about the land’s ownership, he said they had yet to be confirmed.
No case was filed when this report was filed, and the postmortem had yet to be conducted, he said.
