40 injured in Gopalganj clash over establishing supremacy at a tempo stand

At least 40 people, including five policemen, have been injured in a clash between two groups over establishing dominance on a tempo stand in Gopalganj city.

Moreover, three houses and four shops were vandalized during the clash in Ghosherchar Uttar Para village of Gopalganj on Sunday.

So far, police have arrested 22 people in connection to the incident.

Seventeen of the injured are undergoing treatment in Gopalganj General Hospital while the others received treatment at various clinics.

Confirming the matter, Gopalganj Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Mohammad Sanowar Hossain said there was a dispute between Sujan Sheikh and Sentu Sheikh from Ghosherchar Uttar Para village over establishing dominance on the tempo stand.

The dispute has escalated over the last three days. On Sunday morning, there was an altercation between the two groups followed by chase and counter-chase.

Police then arrested 4 people including Sentu Sheikh over the incident.

Later, around 3pm, the groups again started chasing each other with local weapons, threw stones at each other and got involved in a clash.

 At first a small number of police failed to control the situation.

Later, about 50 policemen led by Additional Superintendent of Police Nihad Adnan Taiyan and Additional Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Abdullah Al Masud went to the spot, fired tear gas, rubber bullets and 15 rounds of shotguns and brought the situation under control around 5 pm.

Additional police were then deployed in the area to avoid further clash.

No party has lodged a complaint in this regard yet. However, preparations are underway to file a case in connection with the attack on the police and obstruction of police work, ASP Mohammad Sanowar added.