Abdul Hakim Shimul, a local correspondent of Daily Samakal, was shot dead by Shahjadpur municipality Mayor Halimul Haque Miru, said ruling Awami League (AL) lawmaker of Sirajganj-6 constituency Hasibur Rahman Swapan. Miru went into hiding after the incident and police helped him to run away, the lawmaker claimed on Saturday.

The lawmaker while attending the last ritual of the journalist said the shooting spree took place in presence of police but they took no action.

On Friday, Abdul Hakim Shimul, Shahjadpur upazila correspondent of vernacular daily the Dainik Samakal, who suffered bullet wounds during a clash between two associate bodies of Awami League at Shahjadpur in Sirajganj on Thursday, succumbed to his injuries around 1:00pm while being taken to Dhaka from Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College, Bogra for better treatment.

 Meanwhile, police arrested two people in connection with the killing of Shimul.

Abdul Hakim Shimul, a local correspondent of Daily Samakal, died on his way to Dhaka on Friday afternoon after being shot during a clash between two groups of Awami League at Shahjadpur in Sirajganj on Thursday.

Shimul died at about 1:40pm when he was being shifted to Dhaka from the Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College in Bogra.

Azad Hossain, Shimul’s brother, told NTV Online that they are returning Shahjadpur with the body.

Earlier, on Thursday afternoon, three people, including Abdul Hakim Shimul, were bullet-hit from Shahjadpur municipality Mayor Halimul Haque Miru’s personal shotgun.

Among the injured, Shimul, was admitted to Bogra’s Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College in a critical condition.

The Shahjadpur police Officer-in-charge Rezaul Haque said Mayor Halimul Haque’s brother Hasibul Haque Pintoo beat Shahjadpur Degree College Chhatra League President Bijoy Sheikh at about 1:30pm on Thursday. Later, Bijoy’s supporter blocked the highway and marched at mayor’s resident in a procession. Someone among the protestors hurled stone to the mayor’s residence, as a consequence Halimul Haque opened fire to the demonstration and left three people injured.

However, our correspondent could not reach Halimul Haque for his statement about the firing. The mayor also switched off his mobile phone after the incident.

Following the incident, the local journalists brought out procession and staged rally after cordoning off the police station protesting the incident.