Kushtia OC withdrwan over violence after AL leader's murder

The officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station in the city was withdrawn on Thursday night following violence in the area over the murder of an Awami League activist the day before.

Kazi Jalal Uddin, the OC, was withdrawn for "negligence", Kushtia Superintendent of Police Proloy Chisim told The Daily Star.

On Wednesday, AL activist and village doctor Lutfar Rahman Sabu, 45, from Ambaria village, was shot dead allegedly by activists of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) in Mirpur upazila of the district.

Soon after the killing, angry AL activists attacked and vandalized the Mirpur upazila office of JSD and the house of Moshiur Rahman Milon, vice president of the upazila unit of JSD, as they believe he masterminded the killing.

The upazila AL demanded the immediate withdrawal of the OC and called a general strike for Saturday in the upazila to press home their demand.

The OC was withdrawn as he failed to tackle the situation, the Kushtia SP said.

According to local and police sources, Sabu died on the spot after a group of JSD activists waylaid him near Ambaria graveyard around 1:30pm and shot him.

Ambaria Union Parishad Chairman Atahar Hossain, also organising secretary of Mirpur upazila AL, said Sabu recently joined the ruling party from BNP.

Local JSD activists had been threatening Sabu of dire consequences soon after he joined the AL politics, Atahar said.

Different party sources said AL and JSD had been fighting for establishing supremacy in Mirpur and Bheramara upazilas for long.

At least 20 clashes took place between activists of the two parties that left two people from both sides dead since 2012.