Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College was declared closed till June 12 while the college unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) called an indefinite strike on the campus yesterday, protesting the killing of its leader Towhidul Islam on Wednesday night.

JCD also called a daylong strike at all educational institutions of the city and BNP's Sylhet city unit called a half-day hartal in the city for Sunday, protesting the murder. Towhid, a fourth year MBBS student, was the hospitality secretary of the college unit JCD, said a JCD leader.

Meanwhile, about 10 people were injured after Awami Jubo League and Bangladesh Chhatra League activists clashed with BNP men in the city's court point area yesterday.

The pro-AL bodies were welcoming the national budget while the BNP was protesting Towhid's killing by bringing out processions. Towhid was called out of their rented house and taken to the college's Abu Sina Hostel where he was beaten by BCL men around

7:00pm, said police. He died in the college hospital one hour later. A police official said haemorrhage caused his death.

The victim's uncle Anwar Hossain Matabbar sued 10 BCL men and 10 unnamed others. The 10 are college unit BCL president Soumen Deb, general secretary Saiful Hai, Rafi, Hafiz, Pathan, Antardip, Abu Shahan Fahim, Shariful, Jubayer Ibne Khayer, and Ripon.

Towhid was the only son of Shamsur Rahman alias Aju Matabbar, chairman of Gopalpur union of Shariatpur, who and is involved in AL's politics.

Meanwhile, the college authorities formed a five-member probe committee and asked for the report within seven days after investigation of the murder. The college principal, Morshed Ahmed Chowdhury, said the students involved in the killing would be expelled.

JCD also announced a three-day programme for Towhid, including a milad mahfil, starting today. Sylhet city Mayor Ariful Haque, in a statement, demanded a fair probe into the murder.