Death toll rises to 7 in Khagrachhari shooting
Death toll rose to 7 in the shootings between two armed groups that took place in Khagrachhari district on Saturday.
Among the deceased, Tapan Chakma was district unit president of UPDF-backed Pahari Chhatra Parishad, another leader Elton Chakma, and Polash Chakma, leader of Ganatrantrik Jubo Forum, also backed by the Prasit Khisha-led UPDF.
Members of UPDF and its breakaway faction UPDF (Democratic) suddenly started firing at Swanirbhar in Sadar upazila around 8:00am, leaving one dead on the scene and nine others injured.
Sadar Police Station officer in-charge Shahadat Hossain confirmed the matter.
He said members of Fire Service and Civil Defence went to the spot after being informed.
They took the injured to Khagchhari Sadar Hospital where six succumbed to their injuries, he added.
According to UNB reports, additional police and army personnel were deployed in the area amid growing tensions there.
On May 3 last, Advocate Shaktiman Chakma, 55, chairman of Naniarchar upazila parishad and a leader of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (MN Larma faction), was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in Rangamati.
Later, five people were killed and eight others injured in a gun attack on a motorcade of the followers of slain Naniarchar upazila parishad chairman Shaktiman Chakma at Betchhari in the upazila on May 4 while they were going to attend the funeral programme of Shaktiman.
