Stone workers clash with law enforcers at Tetulia; 1 killed

A man was killed and 20 injured in sporadic clashes between law enforcers and stone workers over stone extraction at Tetulia in Panchagarh this morning.

The clashes happened when the workers put barricade on Panchagarh-Banglabandha highway around 9:45am demanding permission for extraction of stones at Bhojonpur, our Thakurgaon correspondent reports.

Blocking the highway, the demonstrators hurled brick chips at the lawmen and torched three police vehicles, according to police and locals.

To bring the situation under control, a team of police charged batons and teargas shells on the protesters, triggering clashes between them.

Later a team of Rapid Action Battalion-13 from Nilphamari joined police to bring the situation under control, our correspondent reported.

The clashes continued till 2pm that left a worker dead and 20 others including policemen and Rab members injured.

Jumar Uddin, 60, who sustained severe injuries during the incident, died of excessive bleeding at Panchagarh Adhunik Sadar Hospital, said doctors at the hospital.

Among the injured, three policemen, three Rab members and nine locals were taken to Panchagarh Adhunik Sadar Hospital, police said. Four other injured were rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital from the local hospital with critical injuries, locals and police said.

Sirajuddoula, a physician of Panchagarh Adhunik Sadar Hospital, told our correspondent that most of the victims suffered from excessive bleeding.

According to police, extraction of stones has been illegal in the area for the last six months. The people who were barred in the area from extracting stones with illegal “boma machine” instigated locals and workers for demonstration.

Panchagarh Superintendent of Police Yusuf Ali said the stone workers attacked the policemen and confined them when the latter tried to clear the highway.

Police in self-defence charged batons and fired teargas canisters, he said adding at least eight policemen were injured during the incident.   

The process of taking legal action in this regard is underway, he added.