Labourer killed in firing
A day labourer employed by some illegal stone extractors was shot dead by the members of Railway Nirapotta Bahini (RNB) at Bholaganj Ropeway site in Sylhet's Companiganj upazila early yesterday.
Johur Ahmed, 40, a resident of Biswambharpur upazila in Sunamganj, was one of about a hundred workers, who had been collecting stones illegally at the site violating Section 144, said Nur E Alam Mina, Superintendent of Police of Sylhet. The railway security men initially fired 13 blank shots to disperse the labourers around 11:00pm on Thursday, he said. As they did not leave, the security men had no other option save shooting them, the SP told The Daily Star.
Johur was shot in his right leg and died before he could be taken to Sylhet Medical College Hospital due to excessive bleeding, said AKM Azad, the emergency unit medical officer at the hospital.
The deceased worker used to live at nearby Bholaganj village.
The police officer said some "locally influential people" had been extracting stones from the 150-acre reserved site for a long time, and the Section 144 had been imposed two months ago to stop the stealing.
Locals alleged some ruling party-backed people were stealing the stones in collusion with law enforcers and administrative officials.
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