Two people were shot dead when a clash erupted between rival groups over land disputes in Cox’s Bazar.

In a separate incident in Barisal, a land dispute claimed the life of one person while 11 others were injured.

The Cox’s Bazar incident was reported around 11am Saturday (Feb 23) at Bilahashura village of Pekua Sadar Union, said Pekua police OC Md Mizanur Rahman.

The deceased have been identified as Nezam Uddin, 42 and Azizul Haque Prakash Rakhal, 22.

According to the locals and the police former UP member Momtazul Islam usurped a 34 acre land of one Showkot Mia quite a long ago. Showkot, in a bid to regain his land, signed a contract with Alamgir and his nephew of the same village.

Consequently, Shawkat's venture on taking back possession of his land resulted in several episodes of brawls between the two groups. In the last three days, Alamgir and Jalal seized a few conflicting patches of his land by hiring some hoodlums.

The feud between the two gangs turned violent on Saturday leading to the deaths of two.

The law enforcers immediately rushed to the scene and apprehended 11 people, apart from seizing six locally made weapons, three motorbikes and one Jeep car.

“The two bodies have been kept in the Pekua Health Complex Morgue,” said Dr Md Muzibur Rahman, a residential medical officer (RMO).

“The arrestees are being interrogated,” said OC Rahman.

Barisal land dispute kills 1 killed, injures 11

In a similar incident, reported from Barisal’s Banaipara, one person was killed during a clash between two groups over land disputes.

The deceased has been identified as Ashish Baroi, 48., said Banaripara police OC Khalilur Rahman.

The incident also left at least 11 injured; of whom six have been admitted to Barisal Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital, while the rest have been sent to Banaripara Upazila Health Complex.

According to the locals, Ashish Baroi has been fighting a lawsuit for the past 11 years against of Morichbuniya village’s Shobha Ranjan Chowdhury, who allegedly had encroached 2 bigha land of the former. Despite winning the court’s verdict in his favour a month ago, Ashish had been failing to take over his land.

On Friday night, as he attempted to take control of the land flanked by a number of people, he was refrained by Shobha Ranjan and his group. Eventually, a clash between two groups ensued and Ashish got stabbed by a sharp weapon.

“Shobha Ranjan has been apprehended along with two of his sons over the incident,” said OC Rahman.

Legal steps will be taken over the incident, he added.

(Bangla Tribune correspondents in Cox’s Bazar and Barisal provided inputs for this report)