KOMPANYGANJ, Oct 20: Four people were killed and four others on Thursday when police fired on up to 1,000 people protesting a slow probe into a jewellery store robbery in southern Bangladesh, officers said.

“A group of protesters surrounded the police station (at Kompanyganj town) ... and to disperse them police opened fire,” the superintendent of police in Noakhali district, Shahidur Rahman, told AFP.

As some 1,000 people marched past the police station in protest at the inaction over the robbery at a nearby jeweller’s shop, demonstrators began to hurl bricks at the building, added sub-district officer Jafar Alam.

“The police tried to defend themselves but the situation became out of control and they opened fire to drive them away,” he said.

Hundreds of people fled in panic as the police opened fire, witnesses said.

“Many people forced opened the door of my shop to hide,” said Khorshed Alam.

“I heard bullets flying past so I lay on the floor. I peeped out through the window and saw bloodied people laid on the ground and others rushing about trying to save their lives,” he added.—AFP