Clash Over Cemetery Land Ownership Leaves 120 Injured in Netrokona
Photo Collected
At least 120 people were injured and 11 properties were vandalized following a violent clash between two groups in the Kalmakanda Upazila of Netrokona on Friday morning. The dispute, centered on the control and usage of a local cemetery in the Amgara area of Rangchati Union, escalated into a large-scale confrontation involving sticks, bricks, and crude weapons.
According to local authorities, eight individuals sustained critical injuries and were transferred to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. The remaining casualties are receiving medical care at the Kalmakanda Upazila Health Complex and other local facilities. Abdullah Al Mamun, the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer, confirmed that 68 patients had been treated at the local hospital by mid-afternoon.
The conflict stems from a long-standing property dispute between residents of Amgara village and Paneshwarpara village regarding a 144-decimal plot of land that has served as a communal cemetery for roughly 80 years. While the residents of Paneshwarpara claim ownership of the land, the residents of Amgara maintain that the site is government-owned. Tensions flared recently when the Paneshwarpara group attempted to construct additional shops on the site, an action opposed by the Amgara residents. Previous attempts to resolve the matter through local arbitration failed to produce a consensus.
The violence erupted Friday morning when residents from Paneshwarpara attempted to install a deep tube well on the disputed land. When Amgara residents intervened, the verbal altercation quickly deteriorated into a physical clash involving hundreds of people from both sides.
Kalmakanda Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mostafizur Rahman confirmed that police were dispatched to the scene to restore order. Authorities have since deployed additional officers to the area to prevent further unrest. While police are currently prioritizing the medical treatment of the injured, officials stated that legal action will follow the investigation into the vandalism and the violence.
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