Robber ringleader killed in Noakhali 'shootout'
A ringleader of a robbers' gang was killed in a 'shootout' with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) at Charbata village in Subarnachar upazila of the district early yesterday.
The deceased was identified as Nizam, 35, son of M Ruhul Amin, a resident of Shiba village in Ramgati upazila of Laxmipur.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab-11 raided a betel nut garden of one Azharul Islam of the village where Nizam along with his cohorts took position to commit a robbery at about 3.00am, said Lieutenant Colonel Nawrose Ahsan, who led the drive.
Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the gang opened fire on the elite force. The Rab members also fired back in retaliation, triggering a gunfight in which Nizam got killed while his accomplices fled, added Nawrose.
The body was handed over to the police at Charjabbar PS who sent it to Noakhali Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.
Rab also seized a foreign made pistol, two bullets, one light gun and six cartridges from the spot.
Sub-inspector Rabiul Islam of Charjabbar police station filed two separate cases -- one for arms and another robbery -- against the cohorts of Nizam.
Nizam had been unleashing a reign of terror with his robber gang in the coastal and forest areas of Companiganj, Subarnachar and Hatiya upazilas of Noakhali for long, said officer in-charge Mosharraf Hossain Tarafder of the police station.
Basically, Nizam's terror gang could rule the area because of the bad communication system in the district, which is surrounded by many rivers and stray forests, the OC added.
Even Hatiya police station alone has 11 cases against Nizam while other police stations have many more, the OC said.
General people heaved a sigh of relief after the news of his death and distributed sweetmeat, victims and villagers in the upazila said.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments