Shawn Bepari
Shariatpur Correspondent,
While fleeing after committing a robbery in Shariatpur, local people chased the suspected robbers down both banks of the Kirtinasha River in Shariatpur Sadar and into the river. At that time, the robbers fired bullets and cocktails at the locals. Later, the members of the gang abandoned the speedboat and took shelter in a brick kiln, where the locals surrounded them and beat them up. Two of them died.
The incident took place on the banks of the Kirtinasha River in Tentulia area of Domsar union of Sadar upazila on Friday night (February 28). Police recovered the bodies of the two people at around 1 am and took them to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital. The bodies have been kept at the morgue of Shariatpur Sadar Hospital. Their identities have not been ascertained yet.
Police say two people died after being beaten up by a local mob while trying to escape from a robbery. Eight people were injured in the shooting by the robbers in the incident. Five more members of the robbers were injured in the mob beating. The five are being treated at Shariatpur Sadar Hospital. Three of the injured have been sent to Dhaka.
According to Palang Model Police Station and local sources, a gang of 10 to 12 robbers attacked the bulkhead of a sand transport vessel on the Kirtinasha River in Rajachar area of Kalkini upazila of Madaripur at around 9:30 pm on Friday. Then, the boat workers and the local people of the area chased them. The members of the robbers fled on a speedboat by firing bullets and cocktails through the Kirtinasha River. When the news spread, local people chased them down the Kirtinasha River and along the banks of the river from Dadpur area of Shariatpur to Tentulia in Domsa. Then, the members of the gang fired bullets and cocktails at the local people.
At one stage, a group of 10 to 12 robbers abandoned a speedboat in the river in Tentulia area of Domsa and took shelter in a brick kiln. Local people surrounded the brick kiln, trapped seven of them and beat them up. Later, police and army members evacuated the locals and rescued the injured robbers. When they were taken to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital around 1 am, doctors declared the two dead. Police have seized a speedboat and a firearm used in the robbery.
Shariatpur Sadar Hospital doctor Muntasir Khan said that four people injured in the robbers' shooting were brought to the hospital around 10:30 pm. Two of them were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment as their condition was critical. Two of them are being treated here. Then, seven more people were brought in in three batches after midnight. Two of them were brought dead.
Shariatpur Police Superintendent Nazrul Islam said, "Last night, during an attempted robbery in Rajarchar area of Kalkini upazila of Madaripur, local people chased the members of the robber gang. While fleeing, the robbers opened fire indiscriminately to protect themselves. Work is underway to identify the two people killed in the mob beating."
