Three members of a family received severe burn injuries as criminals threw acid on them over a previous enmity between two groups of villagers in Kushtia Sadar upazila last night.

The injured were identified as Saleha Khatun, 45, her brother’s children Sonia Khatun, 20,and Titumir Hossain, 13, reports our Kushtia correspondent.

In the latest development, the groups got into a clash around 11:30 in the morning at Gopalpur villagethat left some 20 people from both the sides injured.

Police said the acid attack follows a longstanding dispute between the groups -- one led by Swapan Biswas and the other by Golam Mustafa -- over establishing supremacy in the area.

Both Swapanand and Mustafa belong to the ruling Awami League.

Earlier on Thursday, Ayub Ali, whose children and sister came under the acid attack, belongs to the Swapan-led group. Ayubengaged in an altercation with Mostafa over “derogatory comments”aboutSawpan at Jhoudia bazaar. They warned each other of dire consequences.

Mir Sariful Haq Janak, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kushtia Islamic University Police Station, said a gang of four criminals around 10:30pm hurled a bottle of acid through a window of the Ayub’s house, leaving the three, who were asleep, injured.

They were rushed to Kushtia Medical College Hospital. Later, Sonia was sifted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital while Titumir to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as their condition deteriorated.

Abu Bakar Siddique, additional superintendent of police in Kushtia, said additional police forces have been deployed in the areas to avoid any further untoward incident.

The OC said they arrested one Nayab Ali, whobelongs to Mostafa-led group, for his alleged involvement in the incident.

Drive was going to arrest other criminals involved in the incident, he said.