Blessings of 'Boro Bhai'!

A "Boro Bhai" (big brother) allegedly supplied the firearm used by a youth gang to shoot a policeman in Chittagong city on Friday, said police.

Three members of the gang disclosed it to the police yesterday during primary interrogation. Early yesterday, police arrested Aiman Jihad, 22, Md Khokon Chowdhury, 24, from Anwara upazila in the district, and Kamal, 17, (not his real name as the newspaper withheld his name considering his age), from the city's Muradpur area, said sources in Panchlaish Police Station.

On Friday evening, a bike-riding criminal shot an assistant sub-inspector of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) at a temporary checkpoint in the city's Sholoshahar gate-2 area.

Of the arrestees, Khokon shot ASI Abdul Malek at the checkpoint after they were interrupted by the police. The gang was on their way to take revenge on a rival gang, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohiuddin Mahmud of Panchlaish Police Station.

Following that, Panchlaish police filed a case accusing 10 youths and juveniles. With the three, a total of six people have been arrested so far.

Police sources said Aiman passed HSC exams a few years ago from a city college while Khokon was working at a garage in city's Sholoshahar area; Kamal is an O-level student.

Meanwhile, the arrested three yesterday gave their confessional statements before a Metropolitan Magistrate's Court under section 164 of Criminal Procedure of Code (CrPC).

Metropolitan Magistrate Mehnaz Rahman recorded their confessional statements, said Assistant Commissioner (AC) (prosecution) Kazi Shahabuddin of CMP.

It all started centring a Facebook post on Aiman by a member of another group, Farid (not his real name as the newspaper withheld his name considering his age), said OC Mohiuddin. Farid is a college student, he said.

Following that, the two groups had a scuffle in which one of the junior members of Aiman's gang was injured, said the OC.

To take revenge, Aiman's group decided to teach the opposite gang a lesson, said the OC, adding that a so-called "Boro Bhai" provided the group with the firearm.

"Aiman said the name of 'Boro Bhai' is Md Wasim Uddin, vice president of the student union of Omar Goni MES College in the city," said a police source on condition of anonymity.  

Sources in the college said Wasim is actively involved with the politics of Bangladesh Chhatra League. On the other hand, Khokon, one of the arrestees, is blessed by a Jubo League leader in Sholoshahar area, said the source.

The gun was yet to be recovered as it was handed over to the "Boro Bhai" soon after the incident, said OC Mohiuddin, adding that they were verifying the information.

This correspondent also could not contact Wasim to verify if he had any connection with Aiman. 

On Friday, the bike-riding gang was going to Hall 24 in Kazir Dewri area of the city where the opposite group was staying. Meanwhile, they shot the policeman as the police intercepted them on their way, the OC added.