Staff Reporter :
At least four people were reportedly killed and many others injured as locals, who were protesting over an “unverified Facebook post”, clashed with police in Borhanuddin upazila of Bhola on Sunday morning.
Police had to fire rubber bullets to disperse the protesters, reported our Bhola Correspondent correspondent quoting witnsses.
The deceased and madrasa student Mahbub, 14, and college student Shahin, 18, died on the spot in the clash while locals Mahfuj, 45, and Mizanur, 50, died on the way to Bhola Sadar Hospital, said Bhola Civil Surgeon Rathindranath Roy confirmed the deaths.
Superintendent of Police in Bhalo, Sorker Md Kayser said, yhe clash ensued around 11:00am when a group of people brought out a procession in Borhanuddin Bazar protesting a Facebook post of a youth from Hindu community, which they found to have been hurtful to religious sentiments. At one stage, the protesters became violent, prompting the law-enforcers to get into action, the police official said.
Additional members of Border Guard (BGB) and Police were deployed in the area to avert the further unpleasant incident, the SP said.
The locals said, four were shot dead during the clash that also left about 200 other people injured, including six by bullets. Chases and counter chase were taken place while brick bats pelted at that time.
Sources said that tension mounted in the upazila over a facebook post of a Hindu youth demeaning Islam and the Prophet (PUBH).
Police detained two people including the youth on Saturday. Later, local Muslisms brought out a protest procession and called a rally for Sunday.
Police claimed they were working for holding the rally in a peaceful manner. Suddenly a group of unruly people threw brick chips and chased the cops.
The enraged people also pelted brick chips at police when they took shelter in a mosque, leaving 10 to 12 police men injured.
