Cause of infant’s death: Bullet or some other object

Officials yesterday said either a bullet or a different object hit the head of the infant who got killed amid Wednesday's polls-time violence in Thakurgaon.

The baby died because of serious injuries to the left side of her head, said Prof Habibur Rahman, who conducted an autopsy on the body at M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hosptial in Dinajpur yesterday morning.

A report on the postmortem will be sent to police, he added.

After burying his seven-month-old daughter Suraiya yesterday afternoon, a grieving Mohammad Badsha said, "Police opened fire to disperse the agitated people. The bullet hit my daughter who was in her mother's lap.

"We want justice," he told reporters at Mirdangi village of Ranishankail upazila.

Several locals present at the scene have also told The Daily Star that Suraiya was killed by a stray bullet fired by police. No case was filed as of 10:40pm yesterday.

Officials in Thakurgaon formed a committee to investigate the incident. Additional District Magistrate Ramkrisna Barman, who is heading the committee, was asked to come up with the findings in seven work days.

The other members of the committee are Additional Superintendent of Police Mirza Tareq Ahmed Beg and District Election Officer Shafiqul Islam.

Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner Mahbubur Rahman said the baby's mother Minara told him that she was near the polling centre at Bhangbari VF Junior High School, which is close to her house, after the result of the election to Bachor Union Parishad was announced Wednesday evening.

Locals said police started shooting after the supporters of a defeated candidate threw bricks at the law enforcers and other officials.

The DC quoted Minara as saying that as the situation became chaotic and police started shooting, she saw that her baby had suffered a serious head injury.

The DC blamed "a group of unruly people" for creating anarchy at the polling centre.

Suraiya's father Badsha, who sells puffed rice in villages, said he and his wife took the baby along to cast their votes.

"We went there towards the end of polling and were waiting nearby to hear the results when I heard gunshots and saw my baby's head injury," he said.

Several hundred villagers demonstrated in front Ranishankail Police Station demanding justice until late at night on Wednesday.

Toffazzol Hossain, assistant superintendent of police in Thakurgaon, said a case will be filed over the matter after the higher authorities give instructions.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told an event in Habiganj that stern action would be taken if the baby was indeed found to have been shot by police.