Three teens sent to jail

A court in Chittagong yesterday sent three teenagers, including two SSC examinees, to jail in connection with shooting an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of police at a checkpoint on Friday.

The SSC examinees -- Farid Rakib and Jubayer Hossen Prattoy (both 17) -- were arrested Friday night in Chittagong city's Muradpur area. The other accused, Abdul Hakim, 18, was arrested on the spot.

“Two arrestees are SSC examinees; Rakib from Nasirabad Boys High School and Prattoy from city's Kazem Ali High School,” Inspector (investigation) Wali Uddin Akbar of Panchlaish Police Station told The Daily Star.

Assistant Commissioner (prosecution) Kazi Shahabuddin of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) said the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Al Imran sent the three teenagers to jail. The court also ordered that the two SSC examinees be sent to the National Juvenile Development Centre at Tongi.

Inspector Wali said, “During primary interrogation, the trio told the police they feared arrest by police when stopped and one of them opened fire on the police.”

The police were trying to arrest another accused who was carrying the firearm.

BULLET-HIT ASI WAS IN PLAINCLOTHES

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP)'s North Zone Abdul Warish told The Daily Star “Two teams of police consisting eight police members of Panchlaish Police Station were conducting a search at the check point in city's Sholoshahar-Gate No 2 area on Friday."

“Of them, four policemen, including the ASI, were in plainclothes when they intercepted three bikes carrying 10 youths of different ages,” he said.

”The gang might have been on their way to commit a crime as the bikes' number plates were covered with paper. They opened fire on police to evade arrest.”

“We have come to know that this gang is engaged in mugging and other crimes and include some students,” the DC said.

Police are yet to recover the firearm used in the shooting. A case naming 10 people was lodged in connection with the assault.