 Jubo Dal leader Criminal killed in 'encounter' 'crossfire' in city
Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) gunned down an alleged criminal in an encounter with the gangsters at the city's Sutrapur area in the small hours of Wednesday. According to the RAB sources, Salah Uddin Mehedi (35), son of late Jamal Uddin, resident of 79 Distillery Road at Gandaria under Sutrapur police station was killed on the spot during a gun battle between the members of RAB-3 and a gang of miscreants at Lama Bazar, Gendaria, at about 3:00 am. | Damm miscreants, always stirring up trouble. Why can't they just stick to being hooligans and ruffians like the other kids? |
Acting on a tip-off, the members of the RAB cordoned a secret den of the miscreants at Lama Bazar area at about 2:45 am. RAB was informed that a gang of miscreants gathered there and taking preparation to create law and order situation during hartal hours on Wednesday. | I'm not sure what the hell that last part was about. |
Sensing danger, the miscreants opened fire on the RAB personnel and also hurled about seven cocktails. | "It's the RAB! Get em, or it's crossfire time for us!" |
| "They're lobbing martinis at us! Go get 'em, boys!" |
RAB also replied with the gunshots in an encounter, which erupted a bloody gun battle between the RAB and the gangsters. | That's right, this is a "encounter", not a "crossfire"..... |
Salah Uddin Mehedi received fatal injuries and was reportedly killed on the spot RAB sources added. | ......not that it makes much difference to old Salah there. |
The body of the victim was sent to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) morgue for autopsy. | "Another one just came in, Dr. Quincy" "Dammit, we haven't cleared last nights backlog yet! Just park him in the corner, Sam, it's not like he's going anywhere" |
RAB claimed that Mehedi was accused in several criminal cases including murder and drugs dealing. | And now for todays opposing viewpoint... |
The cases were filed for political reasons and he was on bail in all the cases, Salahuddin's relatives said, adding that former president of ward No 81 Jubo Dal and presently cooperatives secretary of Dhaka Mahanagar (South) unit of Jubo Dal, Salahuddin exported vegetables to middle-eastern countries. | and Don Corleone imported olive oil |
But refuting the allegations, the family members of Salah Uddin Mehedi said that some plain clothes police personnel arrested him from a relatives house at Islambag under Lalbag police station at about 12;30 am. He was later handed over to the RAB. | That would in fact qualify this as a "crossfire" incident |
Salauddin's sister Anwara, meantime, said one Arshad, who claimed to be a sub-inspector (SI) of Lalbagh Police Station, took Tk 30,000 from them for Salahuddin's release. "SI Arshad phoned us in the evening to inform us about Salahuddin's arrest and proposed that he would arrange my brother's release on payment of Tk 5 lakh," she said.
"We paid him Tk 30,000 in front of Gulshan Ara City market in Kotwali area at 8:00pm last night and he asked us to pay the rest two hours later," Babul, a brother-in-law of Salahuddin said, adding that they did not find Arshad when they went there again. | How do you say "Screwed" in Bangladeshi? |
But SI Sekandar Ali, duty officer of Lalbagh Police Station, told The Daily Star that police did not arrest Salahuddin and there was no SI at the police station named Arshad. | "Who? Never heard of him." |
Anwara Begum, elder sister of the slain Mehedi told the reporters that RAB killed her brother in the name of encounter, though he was not a criminal at all. She also said Mehedi got married Pinky in January last and was involved in vegetable export business. |