UPDF man killed as ‘2 factions trade gunfire’

A UPDF member was killed and another injured in a "gunfight between two factions" of the organisation in a remote area of Khagrachhari's Matiranga upazila early yesterday.

The dead, Uttam Kumar Tripura, 25, was a member of United People's Democratic Front (Prasit Khisa). Injured Chigi Chakma, 24, also belongs to the same faction.

Locals said about 5-7 armed men of UPDF (Democratic) faction entered Sukumar Para in Matiranga around 5:00am, surrounded the house of Uttam's father and opened fire at it.

Retaliatory shots were fired from the home, prompting the gunfight. The gun battle continued for about half an hour, local union parishad member Sulumar Chakma told The Daily Star.

Uttam died on the spot from bullet wounds and Chigi sufferedbullet injuries.

BGB Jamini Para Zone Commander Lt Colonel ABM Jahidul Karim said a BGB team went to the spot and recovered the body of Uttam, an AK-22 rifle and some bullets. Later, those were handed over to police.