Police come under attack during raid, 2 injured in firing, 10 arrested

Two accused in a case filed over an attempt to occupy a house, vandalism and extortion in the capital’s Adabar area have been injured in police firing.

Police said the accused attempted to attack them with cleavers during a raid, prompting officers to fire in response.

Police later said four people, including the two injured in the firing, were arrested. This brings the total number of arrests in the case to 10.

Adabar police said the incident took place around 2:30 am on Tuesday in an open area by the canal behind a playground near the Kacha Bazaar in the Nabodoy Housing area under Adabar police station.

The two injured by gunfire are Rajib Howlader, 30, and Sagar, 24. Police said both were shot in the legs. After their arrest, they were sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for treatment. The other two arrested are Shakib, 23, and Rashed, 24.

Adabar police said that based on a tip-off, they launched the operation around 2:00 am to arrest the accused. Seven to eight people were at the scene. When police moved to arrest them, they attempted to attack the officers with cleavers.

The constable involved in the operation then fired two rounds from his shotgun in self-defence, police said. Police further said Rajib and Sagar were injured in the firing. Four people, including them, were arrested, while the others fled. Cleavers and sharp blades locally known as Samurai and Kirich were recovered from the scene.

Adabar police station officer-in-charge (OC) Zahidul Islam said police opened fire in self-defence when the accused attempted to attack them with cleavers. The injured were sent to hospital, he said. Legal action will be taken in the case, the OC added.

OC Zahidul further said six people had previously been arrested in the case filed over the attempt to occupy the house, vandalism and extortion in Adabar. Another four were arrested in the overnight operation, bringing the total number of accused arrested to 10.

According to police, Sagar has eight cases filed against him with Adabar and Mohammadpur police stations. Rajib is a named accused in the widely discussed Babu murder case in Mohammadpur. Shakib and Rashed also have five cases each against them.

On Sunday, allegations emerged of an attack, vandalism and extortion attempt in connection with an attempt to occupy a house in Shyamoli Housing in Adabar. A group of 15 to 20 people allegedly attacked the house carrying cleavers, machetes and pistols.

A case was filed over the incident with Adabar police station. Police said the two parties had been involved in a long-standing dispute over ownership of the house. A case over the matter is also pending in court.