Sayeed Muhammad: With the grief triggered from the killings of six people still in the air, unknown assailants have gunned down three more members of United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) at Korolyachhari in Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati yesterday.
The deceased are Sanjib Chakma, 30, Smrity Chakma, 50, and Atol Chakma, reports UNB, adding, Kanon Chakma, another member of the party, was injured in the attack which took place around 5am.
According to UPDF’s Publicity and Publication Secretary Niron Chakma, members of reformist Jana Sanghati Samity (JSS) have attacked the ill-fated and killed them.
However, Shudhakar Tripura, secretary of central JSS’s information and publicity, refuted the allegation, saying his party was not linked to the murders in any way.
Confirming the shooting incident, Nurul Anwar, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sajek Police Station, said law enforcers were to the spot, to collect the corpses.
But he could not give any further details over the incident.
On May 4, five people were killed and eight others injured in a gun attack on a motorcade of the followers of slain Naniarchar upazila parishad chairman Shaktiman Chakma at Betchhari area under the upazila of the district.
Shaktiman, 55, also a leader of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity or PCJSS (MN Larma faction), was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in front of the upazila parishad complex the previous day.
Tension in the three hill districts keeps on mounting with at least 20 people killed in the last six months, an issue that is deepening security concern in the Chattogram Hill Tract.
The killing spree gained a momentum ever since the murder of Shaktiman in broad day light.
Members of the hill-based parties said they are in fear of more bloodsheds in the hills as the situation was becoming increasingly confrontational.
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