Jubo League leader shot in one leg

A local Jubo League leader was shot in his left leg on the roof of his neighbour's house in the town's Sasthitolapara area early yesterday.

Family members of Mehbub Rahman Mensel, joint convener of Jashore town Jubo League, alleged that police shot him.

Denying the allegation, police claimed that 35-year-old Mehbub was wounded in a clash between two groups of criminals. They also claimed to have arrested the Jubo League leader and his associate Mehedi Hasan Anik, 23, from the roof and recovered three pistols and 12 bullets.

Talking to The Daily Star, Mehbub's wife Boishakhi Rahman said police cordoned off their house around 1:30am and took her husband to the roof.

“At one stage, we heard firing. Police shot my husband in his leg,” she alleged.

AL sources said there had been a long-standing rivalry between Jashore-3 Awami League lawmaker Kazi Nabil Ahmed and district AL General Secretary Shaheen Chaklader over establishing supremacy in the party.

Tension was high in the town as several cocktails exploded near the lawmaker's house and a business institution of Shaheen on Sunday night.

Mehbub is a supporter of the MP, said locals.

Imam Hasan Lal, acting general secretary of Jashore town AL, said his house was next to Mehbub's. Early yesterday, police cordoned off his house and asked him to open the gate.

“As I opened the gate, police rushed to the roof of my building. After a while, I heard gunshots. I don't know what happened on the roof. In the morning, I came to know that Mehbub sustained bullet injuries,” Imam told this correspondent over the phone.

Moin Uddin Mithu, district Jubo League organising secretary, said Mehbub became partially paralysed after suffering a stroke a couple of months ago.

He took part in a procession in Jashore town on Sunday night protesting the bomb attack at the lawmaker's house, Moin added.

“Around 3:00am on Sunday, a party man informed me over the phone that police shot Mehbub in his leg.”

Samir Kumar Sarker, inspector (investigation) of Kotwali Police Station, said hearing about a clash between two groups of criminals, they rushed to the spot and found Mehbub bullet-hit.

Police recovered two pistols and eight bullets from Mehbub and a gun and four bullets from his accomplice Mehedi, he added.

Law enforcers sent Mehbub to Jashore 250-bed General Hospital.

Abdur Rashid, orthopedic surgeon at the hospital, said Mehbub was hit either by pellets or bullets. His blood vessels were torn and a bone was broken.

Later, doctors referred him to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Dhaka.

Samir last night said Mehbub, who had been facing several criminal cases, was undergoing treatment at a hospital in the capital under police custody.

A case was filed against the two arrestees with Kotwali Police Station.

Meanwhile, a Jashore court yesterday sent Mehedi to jail after he was produced before it.