Rival JSS factions clash in Rangamati

chtnews.com
News No. 57/2009, June 16, 2009
At least four persons have been injured in a clash between two rival factions of the Jana Samhati Samiti in Rangamati town.

Sources said the clash erupted around 5pm in Devashish Nogor area of the town when members of the Rupayan Dewan-led faction of the JSS, known as Sangskarbadi or Reformist, came under attack of its rival Santu Larma faction.

Both the factions chased and counter-chased each other before the police arrived.

All the injured belong to the Reformist faction and have been admitted to hospital.

Members of the Santu group seized two members of their rival faction and handed them over to the police, it is learnt.

One of them has been identified as Nanda Chakma of village Chongrachari, Dighinala. However, the identity of the other one could not be known.

Reformists allege that the attack came after the JSS (Santu) failed to get the police to act on their behalf.

“The Santu group tried to file a false kidnapping case against us.” said a Reformist member.

Today’s factional clash comes barely two days after an attempt on the life of Kollol Chakma, a UPDF-backed PCP activist, who joined the organisation in May after breaking ranks with the JSS.

JSS is also blamed for assassination attempts on its former General Secretary Chandra Shekhor Chakma and another influential leader Progoti Chakma in February and April.