Notorious pirate leader Rafiq beaten to death
Fishermen killed a notorious gang leader of pirates while another gang freed two fishermen on receipt of ransom on Wednesday.
In Bagerhat, fishermen beat dead Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, alias Rafique Master, 35, leader of `Rafique Bahini`, and son of Mohammad Lutfur Rahman of Gabgasia village of Morelganj upazila.
They also captured five other pirates at Dublarchar in Swarankhola upazila early Wednesday.
Coastguard Lieutenant M Badruddoja of Mongla West Zone told UNB that, the gang, led by Rafique, raided Dublarchar and kidnapped six fishermen for ransom at gunpoint.
Hearing cry for help, several hundred fishermen of the area chased the pirates and caught six of them. However, other members of the gang managed to escape along with the abducted persons.
Rafique died on the spot in mob beating while five other pirates were handed over to Coastguard.
The villagers also recovered two rifles and two bullets and handed those over to Coastguard.
Coastguard recovered the body of Rafique and handed the five pirates to Swarankhola Police. Rafique was wanted in several cases, including murders.
The pirates were identified as Zulhas Uddin, 18, son of Mohammad Sattar Uddin of Boloibunia village, Babul Sarder, 25, son of Yasin Sarder of Kamla village, Mohammad Hanif Sheikh, 26, son of Zonab Ali Sheikh of Doibaghati village, Badal Mia, 28, son of Lutfur Rahman of Gabgasia village of Morelganj upazila and Saidul Islam, 30, son of Younus Sheikh of Pirojpur district.
Meanwhile, two fishermen who were abducted by pirates from the Baikarer canal area in the river Madar in the Sundarbans on February 27, were freed on Wednesday on receipt of a ransom of Tk. 5000.
The released fishermen are Hossain Ali Gazi and Momin Gazi of village Kalinchi in Shyamnagar upazila, reports our Satkhira correspondent.
Four fishermen of the village went to the Sundarbans on February 25.
While they were catching fish in the river Madar, the pirates on February 27 attacked them, looted their cash and other valuables from the boat and abducted two of them for ransom.
The relatives of the victims paid Tk. 5,000 to the pirates as ransom and the gang freed the two at Balirkhal in the river Malancha on Wednesday.
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