Three people were shot dead and another was beaten to death in a clash over the management of a local madrasa committee in Atra-Gilatola Eastern Gate area of Khulna city last night.

Nazrul Islam, 45, Golam Rasul, 30, and Saiful Islam, 27, were shot dead while Zihad Hossain, 38, was beaten to death, our local correspondent reports quoting Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Khanjahan Ali Police Station.

The victims were residents of the area, the OC said, adding that at least seven people were injured in the sporadic clashes which began yesterday afternoon and continued till 8:30pm.

The injured are now undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH), the OC added.

After the clashes some house and 11 business establishments in the area were set on fire. On information, a team of firefighters went to the spot and brought the fire under control around 11:00pm.

Mollah Jahangir Hossain, deputy commissioner (north) of Khulna Metropolitan Police, visited the spot and told journalist that police have already detained one Jahangir in this connection. Some teams also are engaged in carrying out raids to nab the rest people responsible for the clash, he added.

Police have been deployed in the area, he added.