Rab 'shootout' kills criminal

A listed criminal was killed during a 'shootout' between his cohorts and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in the capital's Kafrul early yesterday while two alleged muggers were injured by Rab in Paltan.
The deceased, Rashedul Islam alias Murgi Rashed, 25, was a listed criminal in the area and was accused in a number of cases, including extortion, Abdul Latif, officer-in-charge of Kafrul Police Station said.
Flight Lt Khairul Mamun of Rab-4 said a patrol team challenged Rashed and his gang while they were holding a 'secret' meeting near High-Tech Hospital at Kachukhet at about 2:30am.
Sensing Rab's presence, the gang opened fire at them compelling them to shoot back.
Rashed was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot while his accomplices managed to flee the scene, he said. Police sent his body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue for autopsy.
A foreign-made pistol, three bullets and a cartridge were recovered from the scene.
Meanwhile, at Paltan, two alleged muggers were rushed to DMCH with bullet wounds on their knees as a team of Rab-3 shot at them.
Joynal Abedin Rubel, 18 and Md Sohel, 20 along with two others were attempting to mug pedestrians at Shahid Nazrul Islam Sarani in Paltan around 1:10am when a patrol team of Rab challenged them, said Riazul Huq, deputy assistant director Rab-3.
Rab opened fire at them when the criminals tried to flee the scene.
A toy pistol, a knife and four mobile phone sets were recovered from their possession, police said.