30 hurt in Awami League factional clash in Lalmonirhat

News Desk :
At least 30 leaders and activists of Awami League were injured in a clash between two groups of Sreerampur union unit of the party at Patgram in Lalmonirhat on Monday.
The injured who were immediately taken to Patgram Upazila Health Complex include Jalil Hossain, 52, Rustam Ali, 25, Rubel Islam, 36, Rifat Hossain, 25, Shahidul Islam, 38, Riyadh Hossain, 43, Kamiz Uddin Mum, 33, Raihan, 27.
Five victims with serious injuries were admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, hospital and police officials said.
Police and locals said that an altercation between the supporters of two president candidates in the union unit’s bi-annual council turned into a clash at the venue on the premises of Sreerampur High School at about 5:00pm, leaving at least 30 people injured.
The two president candidates are Rafiqul Alam and Sreerampur union parishad chairman Abul Hashem.
Patgram police officer-in-charge Sumant Kumar Mohant said that being informed, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control by lobbing tear shells and opening fire in the air.
He also said additional police had been deployed to avoid further untoward incident.
Hashem, one of the candidates, said that Rafiqul’s supporters provoked the clash by shouting angrily at his supporters.