A long-standing land dispute boiled over into violent clashes in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi, leaving one person dead and at least twenty others injured. The tragic confrontation unfolded on Tuesday evening in Bharuapara village, located under the jurisdiction of Belpukuria Union within the upazila.
The deceased has been identified as 36-year-old Abdul Karim, a resident of the same village and son of Fazlul Haque. Following the completion of mandatory post-mortem examinations, officers from the Belpukuria Police Station under the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) formally handed over Karim’s mortal remains to his grieving family on Wednesday afternoon. In connection with the violence, a murder case has been lodged at the local police station, naming twenty-five individuals as defendants.
According to details outlined in the official First Information Report (FIR), a bitter disagreement over property ownership had persisted for some time between two local factions. One group comprised Rafiq, Karim, and Rabbi, while the opposing faction included Jillur and Shahabur. Tensions escalated on Tuesday afternoon when both sides engaged in a heated verbal altercation regarding the physical possession of the disputed land plot.
Within moments, the argument deteriorated into physical violence. Armed with heavy wooden batons and sharp indigenous weapons, members of both groups charged at one another, plunging the village into chaos. Abdul Karim was among the twenty individuals who sustained severe injuries during the melee. As family members and supporters rushed the critically wounded Karim toward the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries along the route.
Police responded swiftly to the emergency calls, arriving at the scene to restore order. By Tuesday evening, law enforcement officers recovered Karim’s body and dispatched it to the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy procedures. Meanwhile, the numerous other participants who sustained injuries in the brawl were admitted to the same medical facility for urgent treatment.
Belpukuria Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Faruk Hossain confirmed that legal proceedings are advancing steadily following the murder complaint filed by the victim’s family. To prevent any resurgence of hostilities and to maintain public safety, additional police forces have been deployed across the village. Authorities report that the local situation remains entirely under control while efforts continue to apprehend the accused individuals named in the case.
