Cop suffers heart attack during clashes, dies

A police constable died here on Thursday due to a cardiac arrest during clashes with Jamaat-e-Islami activists, police and doctors said.

Zahurul Islam was undergoing treatment in the local hospital where he succumbed.

He hailed from Dighalia village of Narail. He was due to retire in two months.

Two other police personnel – constables Moslem Uddin, 45, and Abdul Matin, 25 – were also hurt allegedly in the brick-batting by the Jamaat men.

OC Ali Azam of Monirampur Police Station said over a hundred Jamaat and Shibir men armed with bamboo sticks took out a procession in the municipal town at around 6:00am in support of Thursday’s countrywide shutdown.

“Police obstructed the procession once it reached the Old Bus Stand area which led to clashes. Zahurul Islam, 55, collapsed during the back to back clashes,” Azam said.

A doctor of the emergency unit of the Jessore Sadar Hospital, where he was later taken, said, “The policeman died due to a heart attack, not injuries.”

However, Sub-Inspector of the Manirampur Police Station Jamirul Islam said, “Zahrul fell sick after he got hit by a brickbat hurled by the Jamaat activists. He collapsed as he tried to run towards the station.”

But Assistant Superintendent of Police Reshma Sharmin said Zahurul did not die due to any injury. “Zahurul suffered from heart disease. Since this incident took place during the clash, the cause of his death will have to be ascertained through autopsy.”

OC Azam said almost 50 hand bombs were exploded by the Jamaat and Shibir men during the dawn-to-dusk shutdown, in which 10-12 pro-strike activists were injured.

Police also arrested four of the injured – Moniruzzaman, 23, Shahabur Alam, 20, Jalal Uddin, 22, and Yasin, 22 – and admitted them in the Manirampur Health Complex for treatment.

The shutdown was called across the country to press the government to release the senior Jamaat leaders standing trial for crimes against humanity during 1971 and to back the demand for repealing the war crimes tribunals.

The BNP had supported the strike.