A long-standing land dispute turned violent in Puthia, Rajshahi, leaving one person dead and at least 20 others injured. The victim, identified as 36-year-old Abdul Karim, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday evening, 11 August, following a clash between two rival groups in Bharuapara village under Belpukur Union.
Karim, the son of Fazlul Haq of Bharuapara, sustained severe injuries during the altercations. Following an autopsy, Belpukur police under the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) handed his body over to his family on Wednesday afternoon. Police have registered a murder case at Belpukur Police Station naming 25 individuals in connection with the fatal violence.
According to the case statement, tensions had been brewing for some time between one faction—comprising local residents Rafiq, Karim, and Rabbi—and another group led by Zillur and Shahabur over the ownership and possession of a piece of land. The dispute boiled over on Tuesday afternoon when an argument erupted over control of the property.
The verbal altercation escalated rapidly into a violent confrontation. Within minutes, supporters from both sides armed themselves with wooden sticks and sharp indigenous weapons, attacking each other in the village streets. Panic spread across the area as the two factions clashed, leaving at least 20 people injured in the fray.
Karim suffered critical wounds during the assault. Relatives rushed him towards Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH), but he died en route due to severe injuries and blood loss. Police arrived at the scene shortly after dusk, recovered the body, and sent it to the RMCH morgue for post-mortem examinations. The other injured villagers were admitted to various wards of RMCH, where several remain under treatment.
Farooq Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Belpukur Police Station, confirmed that additional police personnel have been deployed to the village to prevent further retaliatory violence. He assured that the situation remains under control and that law enforcement teams are actively conducting drives to apprehend the suspects named in the murder case.
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