 Two BNP cadres killed in 'crossfire'
Two BNP cadres were killed in an 'encounter' between Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and a gang led by the two that also left two Rab men injured at Hajiganj here in the early hours yesterday. Members of Rab-3 also seized foreign arms and ammunition including a Russian SMG (sub machine gun) and an Italian pistol, liquor and bulletproof jackets from their possession. | Just the thing for a night on the town in old Hajiganj |
The dead are Fayez Mohammad Rifat Ali Biplob, 33, and Alamgir alias Alam, 34. The injured Rab members are Lt Firoz and Sepoy Asif. | The new writer delivers a great script today, cue the "Cops" theme music; "Bad Boys": |
Tipped off that a gang of criminals at a house at Missionpara was preparing to commit crimes, Rab men on Monday night at about 11:00 pm raided the two-storied house owned by Biplop's family, Rab sources said. | Kicking in the door, shining lights in their eyes, slamming them to the floor.. |
Rab men held Biplop and his elder brother Shamim. They made Biplob ask Alam over phone to come to his house, | "Hello, Alam? Yeah, it's Bip. Listen, can you come over? We need to talk. No, not on the phone. OK, see you soon. Bye.....Ok, he's coming. Can you take that gun out of my ear now, please?" |
..and held him as he turned up. | "Hi, Alam, how they hanging? Hands on the wall, you know the drill" |
Rab men recovered one Russain SMG with two magazines and 137 bullets, 12 shotgun cartridges and two magazines of pistols from their possession.
Acting on their statement, Rab personnel raided a house on Bangabandhu Avenue at Chashara and seized one Italian 9mm pistol, a magazine and four bullets, three bulletproof jackets, 216 cans of beer and eight bottles of foreign liquor. During quizzing, the two admitted to their involvement in extortion, mugging, robbery, arms and drug smuggling, and gave information about their den, said Rab sources. | "Den" ranking somewhere between "hideout" and "lair". Course, ya have to make mastermind before you qualify for a lair. |
A Rab team then took Shamim to Nabiganj to search for arms while another team took Biplop and Alam to Isha Khan Fort at Hajiganj. | Shamim, lest we forget, is Bip's older brother. Soon to be "surviving" brother |
Accomplices of the two arrestees opened fire on Rab at Hajiganj.. | Must have been lurking in the den |
..and the latter returned fire.
At one stage, the two arrestees attempted to flee.. | "Feet don't fail us now!" |
.... but were killed in firing. | "Mother of mercy, is this the end of Biplop? Rosebud.." |
Their accomplices then retreated and Rab found their bodies and recovered two revolvers with seven bullets, Rab said.
A local at Hajiganj Bazar, Kazi Michir Ali, told reporters that he heard gunshots when he was going to say prayers at a nearby mosque at dawn. | Gunshots around a mosque, what are the odds? |
"I heard someone announcing over microphone from the mosque that Rab and criminals are locked in a gunfight, and asked the locals not to come out of their houses," he said. | "Them devients are shooting it out with the cops again. Keep your turbans down and stay outa da street. That will be all." |
Police later sent the bodies to Narayanganj General Hospital morgue for autopsy.| "Paging Dr Quincy. Package for you" |
Rab and police said Alam was an accused in an extortion case filed with Bandar Police Station but they could not confirm if Biplop had any criminal records. Biplob was linked to the Awami League cadres during the AL rule and later changed over to BNP camp when it came to power, locals said. The two were found active in BNP processions and public gatherings. They also had photographs with some BNP leaders, lawmakers and even ministers.
Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered to see the bodies of the two cadres and chanted slogans of joy. | "Huzza! Sweetmeats for everyone!" |
Rab nabs top criminal, finds arms factory
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday unearthed a criminal group-run arms factory at Rangunia in the district and recovered arms, ammunition and arms making instruments following arrest of the gang linchpin.
Tipped off, Rab-7 of Chittagong arrested Nasir Uddin alias Naisya, 34, along with his associate Md Abdus Salam, 42, from Bangalhalia Bazar under Rajesthali upazila in Rangamati on Monday afternoon. Naisya was accused in five cases including one for killing an Ansar commander and ran a large syndicate that smuggled timber | A lumber rustler, Greenpeace will be pleased |
and carried out criminal activities including abduction for ransom in the remote hilly areas of Rangunia, Rahesthali and Rajbil in Chittagong, Rangamati and Bandarban districts, sources said.
Following Naisya's confession, Rab went out in search operations taking Naisya and Salam with them and unearthed the arms factory near the house of one Chitsa Marma at Chhipchhari Para (locally known as Marma Para) in an inaccessible area of Rangunia at around 4:00am yesterday.
| Guess it wasn't that inaccessible |
Rab recovered a newly made single-barrel gun, one LG, twelve bullets of M-16 rifle, one bullet of 303 rifle, six cartridges and huge quantity of arms manufacturing equipment from the arms factory. | "Chhipchhari Para Arms, making quality shutter guns since Thursday" |
The recovered instruments include two bench vices, two drill machines, eight large and 160 small springs, sizzles, twenty-two pieces of lead, hole plate, huge quantity of screws, screw-drivers, fifty drill bits, thread-cutter (trimmer), solid punch, clumps, files, pliers, hammers, holders and nails. Naisya and his gang that also included indigenous criminals destroyed forest resources worth around Tk 10 crore in the last one decade, a Rab press release said, adding that the gang also realised huge amount of ransom. |