At least two members of an alleged gang of kidnappers were killed in a ‘gunfight’ with a RAB team at Jurain in the capital yesterday.
In another incident, a member of an alleged gang of robbers was killed when police fired returned gunfire when attacked with bombs in the early hours of yesterday at Savar, on the outskirts of the capital.
According to RAB 10 officials and police, four RAB members and four policemen sustained injuries during the incidents while the elite force recovered two pistols from the spot.
Police also recovered a machete, a homemade long sharp weapon, a bomb and a torch.
The persons killed in RAB shootout were identified as Sangram Chowdhury, 42, and Mahmudul Wasim, 62, of 129 Madina Masjid Road in Alambagh under Kadomtoli police station, while the identity of the 28-year-old alleged robber could not be known immediately.
The injured RAB 10 members were Sub-Inspectors Taiyebur Rahman, 38, and Sanjay, 35, and constable Rajeeb, 30, while one of the four injured policemen was Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam.
Rafiqul was admitted to Enam Medical College and Hospital and three constables were given first aid.
RAB officials said they also rescued four persons abducted and tortured in a house on Madina Masjid Road of Alambagh in Jurain.
Of them, Mohammad Rana, 18, was kidnapped from Ashulia, Jahangir Miah, 30, from ZiRABo, Hridoy Mahmud, 32, from Sign Board, and Akhter Hossain, 40, from Sanarpar. Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Executive Magistrate Farid Mohammad Farhad Hossain said the rescued persons had been under the RAB custody.
RAB officials said all victims bore different injury marks.
‘Gunfight’ between RAB and ‘abductors’
Wing Commander ATM Habibur Rahman, director of Legal and Media Wing of RAB, told the Dhaka Tribune the gunfight between the RAB 10 members and the kidnappers took place when the elite force had been on a drive to rescue some abducted persons from a house on Madina Masjid Road in Alambagh under Kadomtoli police station area.
“Acting on a tip-off that a gang of criminals kidnapped some people and had been torturing them by taking them hostage in the house, we went into action,” said Wing Commander Habibur Rahman.
He said immediately after the RAB personnel rushed to the spot, the criminals opened fire on them, prompting the crime-busters to retaliate with gunshots, triggering a gun battle.
According to the official, at one stage of the gunfight, two members of the gang and four RAB members also sustained injuries while the other members of the gang fled.
Wing Commander Habibur Rahman added that the gang members who received bullet wounds succumbed to their injuries to the Mitford Hospital while the injured RAB men were undergoing treatment.
While talking to journalists at the hospital, Sayema Chowdhury, wife of deceased Sangram Chowdhury, said her husband had gone out of the house Sunday night, but he did not return home till noon.
“In the afternoon, I came to know my husband died along with another man in a so-called gunfight with RAB,” she said.
Inspector Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Kadomtoli police station, said: “RAB officials told them about the gunfight that took place between a team of RAB 10 and a gang of criminals leaving two of the alleged criminals dead and three RAB members injured.”
He added that two pistols were also recovered from the possession of injured members of the gang.
But neither RAB nor Police could detail the cause of abduction of the four and anything more about the incident.
Shootout by police
In Savar, an alleged member of a gang of robbers was killed when police opened fire at them in return for an attack with bombs at the lawmen early in the morning on Dhaka-Aricha Highway in Harannagar area in Rajfulbaria under Savar police station.
Inspector Mostofa Kamal, officer-in-charge of Savar police station, said during the gunfight that took place around 3am, four policemen also sustained injuries when the robbers hurled bombs at them.
“Acting on a tip-off that a gang of robbers had been preparing for committing robbery on the highway, a team of police rushed to the spot,” Inspector Pradeep said.
He added that sensing the presence of police, the gang of robbers tried to run away, but the lawmen caught some of them and charged batons.
Pradeep said at one stage the robbers hurled bombs at the lawmen, prompting them to retaliate with gunshot that left one member of the gang dead.
