Train set ablaze after 5 killed under its wheels

---

A Fretilin party supporter holds a picture of a victim during a funeral in Dili Tuesday.

SIRAJGANJ, Oct 11 (Agencies): At least five people have been killed under the wheels of a train beside the rally of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in sadar upazila Monday afternoon.
But the police confirmed only four deaths. Three of the deceased were identified as Faruq, 38, Saban Mirza, 65 and Suruzzaman, 65 while the identities of others could not be known immediately.
Witnesses said the Dhaka bound train from Dinajpur ploughed through a crowd at about 3.0 pm when they gathered near Mulibari rail gate to attend a meeting of Khaleda.
Three people died on the spot. The injured were rushed to Sadar hospital. Condition of the 10 injured people was stated to be critical.
The mob set ablaze the engine of Drutajan Express and severely beat the driver and a guard in Soidabad rail crossing in Ullaparha upazila, said police superintendent Mosharraf Hossain.
The incident took place around 3.0pm when the people were gathering to join the rally organised to mark the death anniversary of pro-BNP Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader Jihad, who was killed during the anti-autocracy movement of 1990.
But, local journalists said they heard the driver and the guard were also killed but could not confirm the reports. Unconfirmed reports claim the death toll to be much higher.
People also allegedly ransacked and looted properties of additional director general of Bangladesh Railway TA Chowdhury.
The SP said the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob and took the situation under control.
The BNP chief in her address blamed the government for the 'accident' saying it was deliberately orchestrated by the government.
An eyewitness, Bogra district BNP's joint secretary Jane Alam Khoka, told news agency that he had seen two mutilated bodies.
Additional SP of Tangail MA Masud said the tailback of vehicles stretched up to 20 kilometres of the highway about 5.0 pm, from the eastern side of the bridge to Elenga.