AL leader shot dead in Rangamati

An Awami League-nominated chairman candidate was shot dead at his house in Rangamati's Kaptai upazila early yesterday.

The victim, Nethoai Marma, 58, had been out of his house for 14 months due to fear that he might be killed. He returned home on Saturday, said Aungswe Chaine Chowdhury, president of Kaptai upazila unit AL.

Nethoai was the candidate for Chitmorom Union Parishad elections.

Some 10-12 criminals surrounded Nethoai's house in Agapara area and shot him dead, said Mir Muddasser Hossain, superintendent of Rangamati police.

"We recovered his body. It was definitely a political murder. No one wants to talk about the murder. But we are investigating it to know the details," he said.

"Nethoai was the president of Chitmorom union unit AL," said Aungswe Chaine.

"In fear, Nethoai had been out of his house for the last 14 months and stayed in a rest house at the upazila town," he said.

"He went home yesterday [Saturday] after submitting his nomination paper, but the criminals shot him dead."

Aungswe blamed Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) for the killing.

Meanwhile, Nipon Tripura, general secretary of Parbatya Chattogram Pahari Chhatra Parishad, the student wing of PCJSS, said, "AL men killed Nethoai over internal conflict."

Besides Nethoai, several people were killed in Kaptai in the last three years over inter-party conflicts between regional political parties.