Jail cop injured in polls violence dies

A jail police, injured on March 28 when two rivalling groups of Awami League (AL) clashed over upazila elections, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday morning.

Shakhawat Hossain, 40 -- from Mohisharan village of Gouripur upazila in Mymensingh -- was stationed at Sylhet Jail.

Shakhawat was on his way home from Sylhet when he was caught in the middle of the clash in Atharobari of Ishwarganj, said Ahmed Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Ishwarganj Police Station.

Shakhawat was first taken to Ishwarganj Upazila Health Complex and later to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to DMCH where he died around 6:00am, said the OC.

Badrul Alam Prodip, an AL dissident who ran for chairman post in Ishwarganj upazila, said on March 28 evening, he and his supporters went to Rayer Bazar in Atharobari for campaigning. 

While taking preparations, supporters of AL candidate Mahmudul Hasan Sumon attempted to thwart their campaign, leading to an altercation, alleged Badrul, also member of district and upazila AL.

At one stage, AL candidate Sumon's supporters attacked them with sticks and sharp weapons, injuring some people including Shakhawat, who was passing by the area during the incident, Badrul claimed.

Police arrested two supporters of Sumon soon after the incident. A Mymensingh court the following day sent them to jail after they were produced before it, said OC Ahmed, adding that they were conducting raids to arrest other perpetrators.