Outlaw 'in guise of' UP member held with arms
Rapid Action Battalion arrests Mazharul Islam alias Mazhar, member of ward No 3 of Motmura union parishad in Gangni upazila under Meherpur district yesterday, on charge of extortion identifying himself as an outlaw.Photo: STAR
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Meherpur yesterday arrested a union parishad (UP) member who had allegedly been extorting people identifying himself as regional leader of an outlawed party for long. The arrestee, Mazharul Islam alias Mazhar, is member of Ward-3 of Motmura union parishad in Gangni upazila. Rab recovered a shutter gun and five bullets from his possession. Officer in-charge (OC) of Gangni police station Golam Mustafa said, Mazharul is accused in at least six cases including four for murder and two for bomb blasts with the PS. Lieutenant Sazzad Raihan of Rab-6, Meherpur said they raided Mazhar's house at Motmura village at about 8:30am. They recovered a gun and five bullets from a hidden place in the house. Lt. Raihan said one Raju, identifying himself as regional leader of PBCP Janajuddho, phoned a few brick kiln owners and asked them to pay illegal toll fixing deadlines. Cadres of the same outfit on Tuesday night went to Bamundi Brick Kiln and wanted to know the whereabouts of its owner Kamrul Islam. As the workers failed to give any information, the outlaws severed the tendons of legs of Mahirul, 40, and beat up five others -- Sumon, 35, Kabil, 25, Rustom, 45, Hasu, 31 and Bakkar, 22. "We arrested him (Mazhar) following allegations by a number of people of the area including the brick kiln owners", said Lt. Raihan. Rab sources said, local brick kiln owners submitted a written allegation a few days ago saying Mazhar collects illegal toll in the name of outlawed Janajudho. Rab investigated the matter and found the allegation based on facts. According to brick kiln owners, criminals demanded Tk 50 lakh from 16 brick kiln owners in the last 15 days since December 6. Rab was quizzing Mazhar at their office at the time of filing the report at about 2:30pm yesterday.
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