A person was shot dead while at least 20 others, including a policeman, were injured in a clash between two groups of villagers over occupying a water body at Anchand village in Jagannathpur upazila of Sunamganj yesterday, reports UNB. The deceased was identified as Safu Mia Jimmadar, 45, of the village, said sub-inspector (SI) Golam Morshed Chowdhury Fattah of Jagannathpur Police Station. Two groups of villagers led by Fazlu Mia Jimmadar and Gebis Jimmadar respectively locked into a clash over the ownership of a water body in the village, police said quoting locals.

In the hour-long conflict, the area became a battlefield as at least 10 rounds of bullets were fired, locals said. Meanwhile, a policeman was injured while trying to bring the situation under control. The injured, including the policeman, were taken to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital from where two of them were referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition. Police detained four people -- Aban Mia alias Aziz, Kibria, Akil Roy and Abdus Samad Chowdhury -- in this connection and recovered several locally-made firearms which were used during the clash, said Harunur Rashid Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of the police station.

Additional forces were deployed in the village to avoid any unwanted situation, he added.