Extortionists gun down old man in city

Extortionists last night gunned down an elderly man at Rayer Bazar in the city for his refusal to pay them a toll.

Two local goons, one identified as Mojibar, ambushed Sohrab Hossain, 65, on his way back home at Sadeq Khan Road, Jafrabad at around 9:30pm after Esha prayers.

"Why don't you pay us money, you who own so many houses and have a huge bank balance?" an angry Mojibar was heard to shout at the old man as he pulled out his firearm standing in front of Sohrab's house, one of the victim's tenants said.

Hearing several gunshots followed by Sohrab's scream, the tenants ran out and found him lying on the ground with five bullet hits in the chest. They rushed him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead at 10:15pm.

The victim's brother, Harun Mia, told The Daily Star, "Mojibar, Haidar and their gang had asked for a large sum from my brother a few months ago and since have been threatening him as he refused."

"The gang demanded and exacted tolls from some rich men of the area, attacked some others and on July 6 looted Tk 20,000 from Shawkat Akbar, owner of Madaripur Engineering Workshop, at gunpoint," he added.

Police could not arrest any one until filing of this report at 1:00am today.