Police used two sound grenades, 14 teargas canisters and 56 blank shots from shotgun to quell the clash, Saltha Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Ali Jinnah said.

The hours-long clash started on Thursday noon and continued until Friday morning in Majhardia union’s Kumarpotti and Majhardia villages.

Locals said incumbent UP Chairman Md Habibur Rahman and former chairman Md Shahiduzzaman had been at loggerheads over control of the area. Both are vice-presidents of the ruling party’s Saltha upazila unit.

Also read: AL factional clash leaves one dead in Faridpur

Their animosity took a turn for the worse ahead of the UP election.

Locals said the clashes first started on Thursday noon and ran until late night during which a number of houses in Kumarpotti village were vandalised. Thirty-one people, including six policemen, were injured.

Supporters of the two Awami League leaders fought running battles on Friday morning.

But the clash on Friday was more severe, leaving more than 50 people injured. At least 15 houses were attacked and vandalised this time.

Also read: AL factional clash leaves one dead, 20 injured in Jhenaidah

The injured were admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital, Faridpur General Hospital and Nagarkanda Upazila Health Complex.

Incumbent chairman Habibur’s son Faruk Hossain said the supporters of Shahiduzzaman were behind Thursday’s clash.

“After the clash, they assaulted one of our supporters. The ensuing clash took place in the afternoon,” he said. “They beat up another of our supporter at Majhardia market on Friday, triggering fresh clashes.”

But Shahiduzzaman rejected the allegation and blamed Habibur’s supporters for the clashes.

Also read: Five shot in Madaripur during AL factional clash

“After the Kumarpotti village clash, Habibur’s supporters vandalised the house of my supporter Jinayet Molla and chased us, leading to running battles,” he said.

“We’re in keeping touch with police to make sure the situation does not deteriorate,” he said.