‘Mugger’ killed in Hatirpool as Rab fires ‘in self-defence’
A suspected mugger was killed while another was injured when one of them tried to open fire on officials of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and the elite force fired back in Hatirpool area of Dhaka early yesterday, Rab sources said.
The deceased was identified as Sushan Mitra alias Suman and the injured is Hasan, said Mohiuddin Faruque, Company Commander of Rab-2.
When a team of Rab was patrolling Mirpur Road around 12:30am, they heard some passers-by shouting “muggers, muggers” near Labaid Hospital, the officer said.
As they reached the spot, they saw a motorcycle -- with three riders -- moving towards New Market. After being chased by the Rab team, the motorbike made a U-turn and went towards Kalabagan, and finally made their way to Panthapath.
Officers managed to capture them when they reached near Eastern Plaza in Hatirphool area, Mohiuddin said.
At this point, one of the riders tried to bring out a pistol which prompted Rab officials to shoot at them, leaving two of them injured, he added. The third rider managed to flee, the official said.
Both of the injured were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where Sushan was declared dead.
Rab recovered one pistol, four bullets and a magazine from the spot.
The Rab official said the trio also mugged a person in front of Square Hospital on Panthapath earlier that night.
Rab recovered a bag from their possession from which they found some snatched items.
Meanwhile, Sushan’s wife Subarna Mitra said her husband worked at a jewellery shop in Old Dhaka’s Tantibazar area.
“I spoke with him around 10pm when he said he was coming home. Later, when I called him again at 1:07am, he didn’t answer the phone,” she said, adding that she learnt of his death from Rab officials.
Subarna alleged that Rab members went to their house in Mirpur’s Darussalam area around 4am and took away Tk two lakh and four-five tola of gold.
Asked how they got the money, Subarna said Sushan had been saving up for a long time.
Rab official Mohiuddin Faruque said they conducted a raid at Sushan’s house but denied taking any money or gold.
“Some vanity bags, imitation jewellery and laptops were recovered from his house. Those were the items he mugged,” he said.
The Rab official claimed Sushan is a professional mugger and had a team of 8-10 members who operated from Chankharpool to Mirpur-12 on bike.
No case was filed till writing this report at 7pm, said Abul Hasan, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station.
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