Jewellery shop owner SM Tanim Hossain Ranga was shot dead in Bheramara upazila, Kushtia BRB Cables Lt. floor supervisor Abdur Rafiq was slaughtered at Swastipur in Sadar upazila and one Ripon Hossain was abducted at Shuvorazpur village in Sadar upazila in Meherpur.

A gang of criminals stormed into the Toma Jewellers of Tanim Hossain at about 9.30pm, Kushtia police said. The gang dragged Tanim out of his shop and shot him point blank as he refused to come out of his shop. He died on the spot.

Family sources said top terror Lalchad, allegedly also a close aide to local ruling party lawmaker, earlier demanded Tk 1 lakh from Tanim as toll. The gang threatened of dire consequences when he refused comply, sources added.

The killing was sequel to previous rivalry between Lalchad and Tanim, police said.

Meanwhile, a gang picked up Rafiq, a floor supervisor of BRB Cables Lt, when he was returning home at Takimara village in Sadar upazila from his workplace at Kushtia BSCIC estate at about 10:00pm.

The gang took him to Swastipur area and slaughtered him.

Police recovered sent the body to Kushtia General Hospital for autopsy.

A local source said the outlawed party cadres killed Rafiq as he informed police about them several months ago.

In another incident, the outlaws entered the house of Abdus Sattar, a farmer at Shuvorazpur village, and kidnapped his son Ripon, a trader, at gunpoint at about 11:00pm, demanding Tk 1 lakh as ransom within two days.