Online Desk : Bodies of eight people killed during a ‘shootout’ between two armed groups at Rowangchhari in Bandarban have been handed over to their respective families, said police.
Bom Social Council (BSC) president Laljar Lom Bom received the bodies from Bandarban Sadar Hospital morgue early Saturday (April 8) afternoon, police also said.
The deceased are Van Du Bom, Sang Khum, San Phir Thang Bom, Boy Rem Bom, Jahim Bom, Lal Lian Ngak Bom, and Lal Tha Jar Bom.
Officials suspect the United People’s Democratic Front (Democratic) and Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), the military wing of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), were engaged in the shootout.
Based on an inspection of their clothes, the deceased are believed to be members of the KNA, the armed wing of the KNF. It is suspected that the opposition armed group took heavy weapons that the deceased were carrying.
The KNF in a social media post claimed that just seven people were killed in the gunfight. They blamed a reformist group for the incident, without mentioning any name.
Locals said they heard on-and-off gunshots from Thursday evening till Friday morning. They claimed the gunfight took place between KNF and United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF-reformist).
In the morning, after the shooting stopped, the locals found eight bodies and contacted the police. Police then went to the spot and recovered the bodies.
Rowangchhari Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Abdul Mannan said the bodies of eight persons were handed over to Bom Social Council president Laljar Lom Bom for cremation after autopsy at Bandarban Sadar Hospital.
He also said none of the deceased persons’ families has lodged any complaint to the police station. Legal steps would be taken after talking with them later on.
