Three suspected criminals, including a Jubo League activist, were killed in separate incidents of shootout between Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and their cohorts in the capital and Barisal early yesterday.
The deceased were identified as Sohel, 28, and Babu, 28, two close associates of top city criminal Shahadat, and Jalal Akand, 36, an expelled Jubo League activist and son of late Motahar Akand of Nandapara under Bakerganj upazila in Barisal.
The latest incidents of crossfire occurred although Local Government and Rural Development Minister Syed Ashraful Islam on May 5 said that the government would not allow any more extra-judicial killing in the name of ‘crossfire’.
Rab sources said they started raiding vehicles in Khilgaon, Kamalapur and Sabujbagh areas yesterday night following a tip-off that terrorists might assemble there to commit crime.
Sources said a microbus tried to pass near Khilgaon flyover violating signal while checking was going on there at about 1:30am. Rab members then chased the microbus and the criminals opened fire from inside the motor vehicle.
Rab retaliated the fire resulting in a gunfight that lasted for 10-15 minutes and killed both the criminals.
The Rab team also recovered three revolvers and nine bullets from the microbus.
A Rab press release said the deceased were wanted in a number of cases including those of murder and extortion.
Locals, however, claimed that three persons including the two deceased were arrested from Mirpur-2 in the afternoon of May 13.
Meanwhile, a mugger was shot during a gunfight with Rab in the city’s Banani last night.
Injured mugger Mokbul was admitted to a local hospital while another mugger Jahangir was arrested with a revolver.
Rab-1 officials said one of their patrol teams chased a gang of muggers while they were snatching valuables from a pedestrian at Kakoli-Banani around 10:30pm.
At one stage, the gang opened fire on Rab men who also retaliated the fire triggering the gun battle, Rab said.
Our Barisal correspondent adds: Expelled Jubo League activist Jalal Akand was killed in “crossfire” during a shootout between his accomplices and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) personnel in Barisal early yesterday.
Rab recovered two firearms, 16 bullets and 15 empty shells from the scene after the gun battle. A Rab member was also injured during the shootout, said Rab sources.
The sources said acting on a tip off, a team of Rab-8 led by KM Mamunur Rashid went to Dapdapia Ferry Ghat in Barisal city around 4:00am.
A group of the criminals hiding there opened fire on the law enforcers, who had just arrived, triggering a 15-minute-long gunfight. At one stage, the criminals fled leaving behind one of their injured men.
Rashid told The Daily Star that injured Jalal succumbed to his injuries on the way to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.
Police sources said he was accused in 10 criminal cases including a murder case.
Lokman Hossian Dakua, Jubo League president of Bakergonj upazila, told The Daily Star that Jalal was ousted from the secretary position of the Rangosheri union unit of Jubo League, as he was wanted in several cases.
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