President of Jana Sanghati Samity (reformist group) Bandarban unit and five members were shot dead and three others injured in a gunfight at Baghmara in Bandarban on Monday morning.
The deceased were identified as JSS Bandarban unit president Ratan Tanchangya, 65, general secretary Projit Chakma, 62, Devid Marma, 55, Joy Tripura, 40, Dipen Tripura, 42, and Milon Chakma, 60. All of them are JSS members.
The incident took place around 5am near Baghmara Bazar in Rajbila union, 20 km off the district town.Md Shahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bandarban Sadar Police Station, said all of the deceased were gunned down.
They were taken to local hospital for autopsy, he added.
Locals and police suspected that the gunfight might have taken place over establishing supremacy by two regional groups in the area.
The three injured –Niru Chakma, 50, Bidyut, 38, and Chittagong University Student Memanu Marma 26– were admitted to Sadar Hospital.
Local Union Parishad member Se Pru Marma said an armed group stormed into the house of JSS president in the morning and started firing indiscriminately, killing the five on the spot.
Locals said some members of JSS reformist group had been staying at Ratan’s house for the last one and half months.Earlier in March, a 31-member committee of JSS reformist group, was formed with Ratan as its president, they added.
After the formation of the new committee , an rivalry started between the reformists and JSS (Santu Larma) groups.
Rajbila Union Parishad chairman Kya Pru said a group had been controlling Bagmara Bazar previously. It seems that the gunfight took place for establishing supremacy there, he added.
source: UNB
