One dies in Tangail UP polls violence

A man was killed when police reportedly fired shots at the supporters of the Awami League-backed chairman candidate and the independent chairman candidate at Sagordighi union in Ghatail upazila of Tangail in the early hours of Thursday, reports UNB.

Voting at the Gupta Brindabon Government Primary School centre was suspended following the violence, said Tajul Islam, district election officer.

Sanjit Kumar Roy, superintendent of police in Tangail, said a group of people numbering 100 to 150 attacked the centre to loot ballot papers around 3:00 am, hours before the beginning of balloting in the UP election.

As per instruction of the presiding officer, police fired bullets on the ballot snatchers to bring the situation under control, leaving Abdul Malek (45), a resident of the village, dead on the spot, the SP added.

Locals said they had learnt that supporters of Awami League-backed chairman candidate Hekmat Sikder were stuffing ballot papers at Brindabon Government Primary School centre around 3:00 am.

Then supporters of independent candidate Habibullah Bahar along with locals rushed to the spot and tried to obstruct them, triggering a clash.

People from inside the centre fired bullets to create panic and police then fired back to bring the situation under control, leaving one shot dead on the spot, they added.