An alleged leader of the inter-district robbers was killed in an encounter between the members of  Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and criminals last night at village North Bhurshi under Boalkhali upazila here. Some firearms were also recovered from the spot. The victim was identified as Jafar Meah alias Dacoit Jafar of Allapara at Koreldenga under Boalkhali upazila of the district. He was the second-in-command of Bodi Dacoit and accused in 12 cases, including murder, extortion and terrorism. Sources concerned said members of the elite police battalion, acting on a secret information, arrested Jafar from Hamjarbag area in the port city last morning.
"Stick 'em up, Jafar!"
"It's the RAB! Save me!" |
Later, the RAB team took him to the RAB-7 office at Patenga for interrogation.
| "He ain't so tough. Gimme a Number 4 truncheon, wouldja, Mahmoud?" |
When the RAB men, depending on Jafar’s statement, going to the village home of the arrested along with him in a bid to recover firearms at around 10:00pm, a gang of armed dacoits attacked them.
"Don't take me to the abandoned warehouse at 3 in the morning and kill me!"
"Hokay. We'll take you to your village home. Howzat?"
"Ummm... Better. I guess."
"And we won't wait 'til 3 a.m. In fact, we can leave now." |
The elite battalion came under the attack as soon as they were crossing village North Bhurshi under Boalkhali upazila at around 11:30pm.
| "It's the RAB! Open random, poorly aimed fire!" |
The RAB sources said the armed dacoits opened fire at them from their hideout in an abrupt bid to snatch the arrested criminal from RAB custody. At one stage, the RAB members, in retaliation, also fired gunshots resulting in the ‘crossfire’ killing of arrested Jafar on the spot.
| "Guys! Guys! Don't shoot! It's me! Aaaaaiiiieeee! Rosebud!" |
The other terrorists, however, could manage to escape from there after the gunfight. The RAB members recovered four SBBL guns, one LG and 10 rounds of bullet from the spot.
| "Say! Haven't I seen these bullets before?" |
| The shutter gun must still be in the police lock-up. |
Sources in the RAB said arrested Jafar was an accused in total 12 cases, including murder, extortion and terrorism. He was the second-in-command of Bodi Dakat, who was also killed in ‘crossfire’ last month. "After the killing of Bodi, Jafar organised the gang and controlled the underworld of south Chittagong".
| Surprisingly, Bodi's departure from this vale of tears was remarkably similar to Jafar's... |
"He also committed various crimes, including inter-district dacoity in south Chittagong by his gang," the sources said, adding that Jafar was used to using illegal firearms for committing robbery. |