Leader of an inter-district robbers gang was killed and one of his accomplices injured in a 'shootout' with police in Hathazari upazila in the district yesterday.The dead was identified as Khalil Dakat, 37, son of Mansur Mian of Harpara village under Rauzan upazila while the injured was Abul Hossain, 27, son of Abdus Sattar of Borodighir Par area under Hathazari.
Sources said a team of Hathazari police took position at Fatehpur on information that a gang of robbers was preparing to commit a robbery at Bhabanipur village under the Hathazari upazila.
Eight robbers on board two CNG-run auto-rickshaws appeared on the scene around 1:30am. As soon as police intercepted the auto-rickshaws, the robbers started shooting at them, resulting in a gunfight.
After a 15-minute long gunfight, the criminals fled the scene leaving bullet-hit Khalil and Abul Hossain, the CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver, on the spot, said Additional Superintendent of Police (Hathazari) Babul Akter.
The injured were taken to Hathazari upazila health complex and later shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where Khalil succumbed to his injuries around 4:00am, said ASP Babul. His body was sent to CMCH morgue for autopsy.
Meanwhile, police recovered six local firearms, 33 cartridges, a grill cutter and some equipment they use in robbery from the auto-rickshaws. Two cases were filed with the Hathazari Police Station in this connection.
Police said Khalil was kingpin of recent robberies in the upazilas and was wanted in over 15 cases with robberies at Rauzan, Rangunia, Hathazari, Patiya, Boalkhali and city's Chandgaon police stations.
Khalil was also involved in the killing of Wasa office assistant Siddique Ahmed after a robbery at Boalkhali on December 14 last year.
Terming Chittagong a robbery-prone area, SP Morshed said a total of 72 incidents of robbery took place in 2009 while 49 incidents in 2008. A total of 388 robbers were arrested and of them, 266 robbers gave confessional statements under section 164 in 2009. He claimed they nabbed most of the ringleaders of robbers and the incidents of robbery have been fever now.