Cops open fire, one killed eight injured in Barisal

BARISAL, Dec 27 (UNB): A youth was shot dead by police and eight others were wounded by bullets Tuesday as cops opened fire on them after villagers attacked Jolla Police Camp in Uzirpur Upazila protesting against death of a co-villager Tuesday. The youth shot dead by police was identified as Sushanta Baroi (24), of Kuralia village where the police camp is located. The injured are Subrata Baroi (16), Debashish Baroi (9), Komol Rani Roy (40), Shankar Roy (15), Parash Roy (14), Alo Rani (40), Shajal Baroi (14) and Maloti Rani (65), of the village. Local sources said that the incident was a sequel to the mysterious death of Swapan Samaddar (26), whose body was recovered on Tuesday from beside the police camp following an altercation between him and two constables beside the camp Monday late afternoon. Villagers alleged that the two police constables, who were locked in heated exchange with Swapan, killed him and left the body near Jolla Police Camp. They also alleged that the two constables left the camp after killing Swapan. Incensed at the incident, several hundred villagers marched towards the police camp and engaged in heated exchanges with inmates in the morning. At one stage the angry villagers pelted stones at police who shot at them, reportedly in self-defence after firing in the sky in vain, leaving Sushanto killed and seven other villagers wounded in the morning. As the news spread in the area, several hundred more people from Kuralia and adjacent villages, equipped with lethal weapons joined the protesters and forayed into Jolla Police Camp. The injured were admitted to Uzirpur and Agoiljhara health complexes and Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital. A tense situation is prevailing in the village.