30 hurt in pre-poll clash

At least 30 people, including three policemen, were injured in a clash between supporters of Awami League-nominated chairman candidate and a ‘rebel’ candidate in Pearpur area of Madaripur Sadar upazila yesterday.

Police arrested 11 people in connection with the incident.

The fifth phase of the upazila parishad election will be held on June 18.

Kajal Krishna Dey, general secretary of Madaripur district unit of AL, got party nomination while Obaidur Rahman Khan, president of Madaripur District Bar Association and also a member of the upazila unit of AL, is taking part in the election as rebel candidate.

Police and locals said supporters of Obaidur attacked the men of Kajal when they were hanging posters of Kajal in the area around 7:00am.

Later, the two rival groups, equipped with lethal weapons, locked in an altercation over the issue, leaving at least 30 people, including three policemen, injured.

On information, police rushed to the spot and fired five rubber bullets to bring the situation under control, said Sirajul Haque Sardar, officer-in-charge of Madaripur Sadar Police Station.

The injured were admitted to Madaripur General Hospital, said the OC.

Contacted, Kajal and Obaidur blamed each other for the attack.

Police personnel have been deployed in the area to avert any further untoward incident, said the police official.