Court to Hear Kushtia 'Crossfire' Case
Police say outlaw; wife alleges planned killing
Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Kushtia yesterday fixed October 5 for hearing on the probe report into a 'crossfire' case.
Assistant Police Superintendent (ASP) Chokdar Abdul Halim submitted the report to the court on Tuesday. Police investigated the 'crossfire' incident that took place at Kalabaria in Mirpur Police Station on May 4 as per directive of the court.
The directive came after Anju Begum, wife of victim Abdul Alim, filed a case with the same court on July 20, alleging that police 'killed' her husband in a planned way. Two police officials and an unnamed policeman have been made accused in the case.
The probe report, submitted to the court, shows that Alim was killed in a 'shootout' between his cohorts and police at the village at around 3:15 am on May 4.
According to the report, a police team led by ASP Halim visited the place of incident and talked to a total of 65 people. The team recorded statements of 25 people, including six police personnel and five witnesses.
In their statements, all said that Alim was a top cadre of outlawed Gono Bahini and involved in criminal activities, the report mentioned. The probe report also shows that Alim was accused in three murder cases, two arms cases, one abduction and two extortion cases.
Alim's wife Anju Begum in her case statement alleged that Golam Mostafa, assistant sub-inspector of Ahmedpur police camp under Mirpur upazila, phoned Alim in the evening of May 3 and asked him to come to a place at Kalabaria village.
"Alim went to the place at the village. Local people later informed me that a team of plainclothes police picked up Alim from the spot. The following morning, we came to know that Alim was killed in "crossfire'", Anju said in the case statement.
Officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station Mehedi Hasan, ASI Golam Mostafa of Ahmedpur police camp in Mirpur upazila and some unnamed policemen were shown accused in the case.
Police Version
In their statement on May 4, police said that a team of the detectives cordoned off a banana orchard at Kalabaria village around 3:15 am following information that Abdul Alim, a regional leader of outlawed Gono Bahini, and his men were holding a secret meeting there.
Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the outlaws opened fire, prompting the law enforcers to retaliate. Alim, son of late Nuruddin Biswas of Kalabaria village in the upazila, received bullets during the shootout and died on the spot while his accomplices managed to flee. Police recovered a rifle, five bullets and five cocktails from the spot.
Anju Begum rejected the probe report. She demanded judicial inquiry into the incident. Lawyers who stood for Anju Begum said they will submit a 'naraji' narazi petition to the court on October 5 and seek judicial inquiry into the incident.
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