2 ethnic men shot dead in inter-party fight

Two activists of United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), a Chittagong Hill Tracts-based ethnic political group, were killed in a front area of Nanierchar upazila early Friday, UNB reports from Rangamati.

The incident of killing took in a reported gunfight between two rival groups in Ramsuparipara along Betchhari-Mahalchhari border area.

The deceased were identified as Sumanta Chakma and Akorshon Chakma.

Local people said Sumanta and Akorshan were the activists of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS), the party which once fought bush war with its armed wing, Shanti Bahini. The two recently joined the UPDF.

Abdul Latif, officer-in-charge of Nanierchar police station, said the gunfight took place in the midnight. The place of occurrence is a remote area and the police personnel have been sent to visit the spot, said the OC.

On 3 May, 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 the district.

Five more people were killed and eight others injured later in a gun attack on a motorcade of the followers of slain Naniarchar upazila parishad chairman Shaktiman Chakma at Betchhari in the upazila on 4 May while they were going to attend the funeral of Shaktiman.