Sunamganj: Three people were killed and six others injured during a clash between two groups over the possession of a Jalmahal, water estate, at Jarulia village in Dirai upazila of Sunamganj on Tuesday.

The victims were Tajul Islam, 33, of Hatia village, Ujjal Miah, 25, and Shaharul, 28, of Ateelnagar village.

Dirai Police Station Officer-in-charge Abdul Jalil told news agency UNB that Dhananjoy Das, a fish trader of Kulunjo area, had long been at loggerheads with another trader, Ikram Ali, after Dhananjoy took on lease the water body nearby by the River Jalia from the government and set up a fish enclosure there.    

The clash took place at about 1:00pm when Ikram along with his followers attacked the fish enclosure in a bid to grab it and Dhananjoy’s followers tried to resist them.

At one stage, both the groups, equipped with homemade weapons, attacked each other leaving nine people, including Tajul, Ujjal and Shawan, injured.

The injured were taken to Dirai Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared Tajul dead.

Of the injured, five, including Ujjal and Shawan, were shifted to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital from Dirai Upazila Health Complex as their condition deteriorated.

Ujjal and Shawan succumbed to their injuries there at about 4:30pm, said the OC.