Pre-poll violence: 3 killed, 15 injured in Narsingdi

Three people, were shot dead and some 15 others injured, nine of them with bullet wounds, when supporters of two rival candidates for the upcoming Alokbali Union Parishad election allegedly clashed in a village on Thursday, reports UNB.

The deceased were identified as Amir Hossain , 42, Ashraful, 18, and Khushu Begum, 32, of Alokbali village in Sadar upazila. The nine with bullet wounds have been shifted to Dhaka for better treatment.

Mohammad Saugatul Alam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar police station, said that ruling Awami League candidate Abul Khayer and Ripon Mia, a rival candidate, had been at loggerheads for a long time.

Around 6.00am on Thursday, Ripon and his supporters, armed with guns and ‘teta’ (a type of fishing spear) suddenly attacked the supporters of Abul, triggering a deadly clash in Alokbali village, the OC said.

Upon information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

While three people suffered bullet wounds and died on the spot, nine of the 15 injured were taken to Dhaka for better treatment. Abul is among the injured, the OC said.

"Efforts are on to nab the attackers," he added.

The Union Parishad polls are slated for 28 November.