Mass Procession: Massive clashes in Khulna, cop beaten dead

A policeman has been killed during the clashes between the protesters and the police in Khulna. 

The incident took place around 6:10 pm in the Gallamari kitchen market area of the divisional city on Friday, when there were massive demonstrations centering the ‘mass procession’ programme called by the Students Against Discrimination (SAD). 

Mojammel Haque, commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP), confirmed the death to Prothom Alo around 8:30 pm, saying, “One of our constables called Suman has died, and some 20 to 25 of us have been injured critically. Suman was stationed at the police lines.” 

The KMP commissioner further said they maintained patience throughout the day and refrained from firing anything, even tear gas shells and rubber bullets, but the protesters did not show restraints. 

“We have been maintaining patience for 20 to 25 days. Still, they beat up our man to death,” he said. 

As per the nationwide mass-procession programme, students brought out a procession from the city’s Shibbari area and marched to Gallamari through the Sonadanga intersection around 2:30 pm. 

When a group of protesters attempted to march towards the Zero Point area, the police fired tear gas shells at them, triggering clashes and spells of chase and counter-chase. A significant number of locals were seen joining the protesting students.  

Around 4:00 pm, the police fired tear gas shells from the Zero Point area, but failed to disperse the protesting students. They set barriers with armored vehicles before the protesting students, but were forced to retreat when heavy rains began there. 

The students, at one point, took position on the Gallamari bridge, while the police fired tear gas shells and sound grenades from the Gallamari intersection to calm the situation. At least 50 students were claimed to be injured during the incidents. 

Later, the protesters beat up a number of policemen mercilessly at Gallamari kitchen market around 6:10 pm. 

Four other policemen got stuck inside a shop. When they opened the shutter to see the situation, the protesters hurled brick chips at them. In response, the cops opened fire at them and it prompted the aggrieved protesters to give them a good thrashing.

At one stage, one of the policemen died there, according to witnesses.