Nine-year-old boy allegedly shot by MP in Gaibandha

Shots allegedly fired by MP Manjurul Islam Liton has injured a nine-year-old boy in Gaibandha’s Sundarganj Upazila.

The boy has been sent to the Rangpur Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) with gunshot wounds, Sundarganj police Inspector Zinnat Ali told bdnews24.com.
 
The police, however, did not confirm whether the child had been hit by shots fired by the local lawmaker.
 
OC Ali said he “heard” the boy had been injured after shots were fired by Liton and that the incident was being investigated. 
 

The injured fourth-grade student Shahadat Hossain Sourav lives at Gopalcharan area in Sundarganj town.

It has been alleged those close to the MP had tried prevent the child from being taken to hospital in an attempt to hush up the matter. 

Gaibandha-1 MP and Sundarganj Upazila Awami League President Liton was not available for comments.

The MP could not be contacted despite several attempts as his phone remained switched off.

Locals said that Liton was returning home in Bamandanga town early on Friday morning.

Around 6am, he stopped his car at the town’s BRAC Intersection in Gopalcharan area and told a man to get into his car.

Instead of getting in, the man, who had apparently panicked, began to run, when an agitated Liton opened fire.

Sourav was hit by bullets on his legs, according to his family.

His uncle Saza Mia said that he was talking a walk with his nephew when bullets fired from the MP’s car hit the nine-year-old.

The boy was rushed to the Sundarganj Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to the RMCH.

But the vehicle carrying the child was stopped by MP Liton’s supporters. Police intervened and managed to clear the road for it.

Inspector Zinnat Ali said he had rushed to spot on learning that the lawmaker’s men had stopped the vehicle.

Sundarganj administration chief (UNO) Abdul Hai Milton, too, said he had rushed to the spot after being told the child was being prevented from being taken to Rangpur.

He, however, refused say anything about how the child was shot.

Gaibandha’s Superintendent of Police Md Ashraful Islam also refused to comment, saying he was busy.

A Sundarganj resident, on condition of anonymity, told bdnews24.com that Liton often gets drunk and returns home early in the morning. On Friday morning, too, he was said to be inebriated when he opened fire.

Sundarganj hospital’s Resident Physician Osman Gani said that the boy had gunshot wounds on both legs.