Dhaka, April 18 (IANS): At least eight people, including a police officer, were injured after the shotgun of an Awami League leader's bodyguard accidentally went off at a party rally in Bangladesh's Faridpur district, according to police, even as local leaders said the shooting was not accidental.

"The incident happened when the shotgun, in possession of Faridpur Awami League leader Dipak Majumder's bodyguard, accidentally went off during the rally," Nazmul Islam, who sustained gunshot injuries on the shoulder, told the media at the hospital.

Many local leaders, however, brushed off police's claim that it was an accidental shot. Bhanga Juba League organising secretary Mamun Sheikh said the shot was fired on Saturday following a dispute over inaugurating a bridge at Munshibari in Kaulibera, bdnews24.com reported.

Munshibazar Shop Owners Association president Ali Hossain, said local Member of Parliament Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury Nixon had inaugurated the bridge a week ago.

"Kazi Zafarullah came to inaugurate the bridge again today (Saturday) and hold a rally. There was some dispute with the locals over the matter. A shot was heard afterwards," he said.

The incident occurred around 8.30 a.m. on Saturday during a rally of Awami League presidium member Kazi Zafarullah, said Faridpur's Nezarat Deputy Collector (NDC) Robayet Hayat Shiplu.

Islam was among the eight people who have sustained bullet injuries in the shooting.

The others are Awami League activists Shaheb Ali, Isarat Akhand, Matobbor, Farhad, Shajahan and Imarat Akhand. The name of the eighth person who was injured was not given in the report.

Police said no case was filed over the incident until afternoon.

According to an earlier report, at least seven people were injured in the shooting.