Police-villagers' clash leaves 25 injured during eviction drive
Thursday, 15 February 2018
HABIGANJ, Feb 14 (UNB): At least 25 people were injured, including 10 with bullets, on Wednesday in a clash between police and villagers during an eviction drive in Bahubal Upazila of the district.
Local administration said when police conducted the drive to free a government land (which was leased out to a tea company) from illegal occupants at Sundratiki village, villagers obstructed them, triggering the clash.
Police fired rubber bullets, lobbed tear shells and gunshots to control the situation, leaving 25 villagers injured.
The bullet-wounded people were identified as Abdal Mia, Idris Mia, Abdur Rashid, Renu Mia, Jwel Mia, Habib Ullah, Azad, Shaheen Mia, Al Amin and Sohel Mia.
Abdal Mia and Idris Mia were taken to Sylhet Medical College and Hospital in critical condition while the others were admitted to Habiganj Sadar Hospital.
Bahubal Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Jasim Uddin said the land was leased out to James Finlay Limited 32 years ago for 40 years but illegal occupants occupied the land hampering the extension of tea cultivation.
Meanwhile, Abdul Awal Minto, a resident of Sundratiki village. said they had been using the land for the last 200 years.