Four bystanders, including a 12-year-old boy, were injured by pellets after a group of criminals opened fire targeting rivals in Chattogram city’s Bakalia area last night.

The injured -- Md Hasan, Jasim, Ismail Mia, and Fahim, 12, -- are currently undergoing treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

All the four victims have pellet injuries, CMCH doctors confirmed.

Police said five individuals were detained in connection with the incident that took place around 10:00pm in Mia Khan Nagar Flour Mill area under Bakalia Police Station, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Solaiman of Bakalia Police Station told The Daily Star.

The OC said that there had been a longstanding conflict between two groups – one led by Morshed Khan and Abdus Sobhan -- over establishing supremacy.

Followers of Morshed opened fire indiscriminately with shotguns, targeting followers of Abdus Sobhan when the bystanders were injured, the OC said.

According to eyewitnesses and police, none of the rival group members were injured in the attack. The attackers fled the scene after opening fire. However, bystanders, including a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver and a flour mill worker, were injured.

Morshed Khan, who identifies himself as a BNP leader, is listed among 300 criminals by city police, though he holds no position in the party, police said.

OC Solaiman said, “Morshed had been on the run for a long time. After the August 5 movement, he returned to Bakalia. He claims himself to be a BNP political leader…We have detained five individuals.”

A case will be filed in this connection, he added