UP polls: Chairman candidate shot dead

An Awami League-backed chairman candidate of union parishad polls was shot dead by miscreants at Agapara in Kaptai upazila of Rangamati early Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Nethoai Marma, 56, also president of Chitmaram union unit Awami League.

Mahmuda Begum, additional superintendent of Rangamati police station, said a group of miscreants numbering 10 to 12 attacked Nethoai and opened fire on him around 1 am, leaving him dead on the spot.

Police suspected that he was killed centering the upcoming union parishad election.

Nethoai used to live at a government rest house along Chitmaram Bazar for security reason and the attack was carried when Nethoai returned to the rest house after submitting his nomination paper.

Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Chandraghona Police Station, said the body bore three bullets.

Police recovered the body and sent it to a local hospital morgue for autopsy.

A tense situation has been prevailing in the area following the incident.

No complaint was lodged with Chandraghona Police till the filling of this report on Sunday afternoon.

Aung Suisan Chowdhury, president of Kaptai upazila unit Awami League, condemned the incident and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.