Police launch raids as BNP men shelter criminal gangs

The raids are targeted at nabbing notorious gang leaders Panna and Lal Chand and their accomplices, police sources said. The two gang leaders hail from Daulatpur in Kushtia.

The terrorists allegedly sheltered by a section of local BNP leaders unleashed a reign of terror in the shoals to establish supremacy. They killed at least 10 people in shoals in Bagha, Lalpur and Daulatpur upazils since 2004.

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Over 70 families fled homes in Korai Nawsara shoal in Rajshahi, Nawsara Sultanpur in Natore and Natun Char in Kustia in last six months following indiscriminate extortion and death threats by members of the two gang groups, locals and police sources said.

"Setting up of permanent police camp to ensure security of the shoal people there is expensive but it is easier to nab the culprits", said a senior police official.

Asked why police did not arrest the criminals earlier, the official said, "This was because they were sheltered by political leaders. We can not let the situation continue as they are killing innocent people".

The three victims -- Ripon, 28 and his uncles Abdul Latif, 55 and Majer Uddin, 70-- were buried on Thursday after autopsy at Rajshahi Mediacal College Hospital (RMCH). They belonged to a family loyal to ruling BNP.

Police arrested seven people on Thursday after Ripon's brother and Bagha upazila Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) general secretary Zahidul Islam Swapan filed a case against 25 people, reportedly belonging to the gang led by Panna.

Clues to the killings
Officer-in-Charge of Bagha police station Akram Hossain told this correspondent that the three killings were aimed at frightening Char Gargaria Union Parishad Chairman Nazrul Islam who often protested activities of Panna Bahini.

Panna's brother and his 'deputy' in the group Safat was killed in crossfire in Kustia several months ago, raising rumours that Nazrul had a hand behind it, sources said.

Local BNP lawmaker Kabir Hossain who went to see the bodies of the three victims at RMCH morgue told The Daily Star there that all the terrorists in the areas were identified.

"I do not want to say who are patronising them, but their stronghold is in Lalpur in Natore. I demand their immediate arrest and punishment".

Fazlur Rahman, State Minister for Youth and Sports, is the lawmaker from Lalpur-Bagatipara constituency.

Some locals in the area while talking to this correspondent said, the brother of the local MP and a some local BNP leaders including a Union Parishad chairman often sheltered Panna Bahini members.

"We are hostage to these criminals. They carry modern arms and maintain good relations with police and influential people", said Muktar Hossain of Char Fatepur village.