Five people have died in a gun attack on a microbus full of mourners on the road to the funeral of local leader Shaktiman Chakma who was murdered a day earlier in Rangamati.
Published : 04 May 2018, 02:45 PM
Eight others were injured in the attack on Friday after gunmen opened fire on the microbus.
The incident took place in Naniarchar Upazila’s Betchhori neighbourhood, according to Bibhuranjan Chakma, political secretary of Khagrachhari’s Jana Sanghati Samiti (MN Larma).
“Three people died on the spot and two others died in hospital,” Alamgir Kabir, superintendent of police in Rangamati, told bdnews24.com.
Those who died on the scene have been identified as United People’s Democratic Front (Ganatantrik) leader Tapan Jyoti Chakma, President of Mahalchhari unit of JSS (MN Larma) Sujan Chakma and its member Tanoy Chakma.
Sajib, driver of the microbus, and Robin Chakma, a member of JSS (MN Larma) Juba Samiti, died in hospital, according to Sudarshan Chakma, ex-chairman of Baghaichhari Upazila.
As many as 12 leaders and activists of the organisation were heading to the funeral of Shaktiman by microbus.
In 2010, Shaktiman joined the newly formed JSS (MN Larma), a breakaway group of the Parbatya Chattogram Jana Sanghati Samiti, led by Santu Larma.
Shaktiman, a reformist, was the vice president of the party’s central committee.
Rupom Chakma, organising secretary of JSS (MN Larma), was accompanying Shaktiman during the attack. Rupom survived the attack with bullet wounds.
Bibhuranjan Chakma, political secretary of Khagrachhari’s JSS (MN Larma), suspected that the United People’s Democratic Front or UPDF was responsible for the killing.
“UPDF continued to kill one after another in the Parbatya Chattogram and established itself as a terrorist organisation,” said Liton Chakma, a spokesman for UPDF (Ganatantrik), a factional group that walked out on the main UPDF and formed a new outfit.
UPDF spokesperson Niron Chakma denied the allegation, saying it could be the result of a feud in the organisations of the victims.
“No one of us is involved in the attack. We demand the authorities check the issue,” he said.
Of the eight injured, four have been admitted to state-run Khagrhachharhi General Hospital and the rest to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said Shahdat Hossain Titu, OC of Khagrhachharhi Police Station.
CMCH police camp ASI Alauddin Talukder said Arjun Chakma, 24, Dwijendra Chakma, 25, Arsingh Chakma, 35, and Mihir Chakma, 28, were admitted to the hospital.
Quoting doctors, he said Dwijendra was in critical condition.
Khagrhachharhi General Hospital physician Dr Nayanmoy Tripura said the five bodies were kept at the mortuary and would be handed to the families after post-mortem examination on Saturday.
Shaktiman and Tapan were among 19 accused of abduction of Monty Chakma and Doyasona Chakma, leaders of pro-UPDF Hill Women’s Federation. Monty and Doyasona were released on Apr 20, a month after the abduction.
Shaktiman and Tapan were also accused in the case started over the murder of UPDF leader Mithun Chakma early in January.