At least 50 injured as villagers clash in Faridpur

At least 50 people, including 7 police personnel, were injured in clashes between two villages in Faridpur's Nagarkanda upazila on Saturday.

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Nagarkanda police station was among the injured, said Faridpur Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (Nagarkanda Circle) Md. Asaduzzaman Shakil.

Of the injured, 30 people were admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and Nagarkanda Upazila Health Complex.

The clashes also left homes and businesses severely damaged.

The incident began on Saturday morning and lasted until 11 am, involving villagers from Solitha in Fulsuti union and Mirakanda in Nagarkanda municipality.

The clash occurred over the dominance of the area following a Waz Mahfil (Islamic religious gathering) held at the Solitha Madrasa the previous night.

Eyewitnesses said that the situation escalated when a loudspeaker announcement at the mosque ignited further hostilities between the two villages.

Armed with local weapons such as shields, katra sarki, ballam, and brickbats, hundreds of villagers from both sides clashed in the streets, leaving at least 50 people injured.

On information, police rushed to the scene to quell the disturbance, but the situation worsened.

Senior ASP Shakil said that the situation had been brought under control after additional police forces were deployed.

“Several police officers, including the OC, were injured, but the situation is now calm,” he added.

The authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the violence and have assured further measures to ensure peace in the area.