Child, 2 others bullet-hit in shooting at election camp

Five-year-old Mukta on her father's lap at Dhaka Medical College Hospital after criminals shot her in Tejgaon yesterday.Photo: STAR

At least three persons, including a Juba League leader and a child, sustained bullet wounds as armed criminals fired indiscriminately at an election camp in the city's Tejgaon area yesterday.
Immediately after the gun attack, injured Mohammad Milon, 28, Juba League organising secretary of ward no. 39, garment worker Shirin Akhter, 18, and five-year-old child Mukta were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
Sources said the condition of Milon was stated to be critical as he received four bullets in different parts of his body while Shirin and Mukta received bullets in their hands.
Witnesses and Milon said BNP cadres Nayan, Dulal, Faruk, Shiplu, Kamal and some unidentified youths opened fire at an electoral camp of Awami League (AL) at Railway Colony in the area at about 1:00pm when Milon was alone at the camp.
The attackers again spread bullets indiscriminately while Milon was trying to flee the scene, leaving at least three persons injured.
Milon told reporters at DMCH that the election camp was a club of Juba League but BNP cadres captured it after 2001 election and drove them away.
The Juba League leader and others recently took control of the camp and set up an election campaign office of AL.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Tejgaon Police Station Lutfur Rahman said there is a dispute between Milon and Awlad groups for long over sharing of extortion money in the area.
He said both groups worked as the source of law enforcers but now they pass for political rivals.