The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The law enforcement agencies, including joint forces yesterday tightened security in the border area and launched a string of raids in six districts, a day after the killing of a policeman and looting of firearms by outlawed operatives in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Noor Mohammad visited the scene of the murder in Taherpur area yesterday.

At least 100 people were arrested from different upazilas here in overnight drives till yesterday morning in connection with Friday's gun attack.

Superintendent of police for Rajshahi Didar Ahmed said security was tight.

Joint forces tightened security in Rajshahi including border district Chapainawabganj, Natore and Naogaon and conducted house-to-house raids in different areas.

About 5000 members of joint forces were deployed in and around Taherpur area said Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bagmara police station Faizul Islam.

The law enforcers raided Taherpur, Amrama, Gopalpara of Bagmara upazila, some areas of Durgapur and Putia upazilas and Atrai upazila of nearby Naogaon district and arrested over 100 people till yesterday morning.

Outlawed operatives shot and killed one policeman and hurt four others before they seized five firearms from the law-enforcement team in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi Friday evening.

Four of the lost firearms were Chinese-made, Bagmara offcers-in- charge (OC) Fayzul Islam said

The police team was patrolling a weekly cattle market in Taherpur area," he said. Mizanur Rahman, a constable from Panchagarh, died from wounds after he was shot in the head. His body was retrieved from a pond near Taherpur Degree College.

Four injured people were Naik Shahinpur, constables Samiul Kabir and Sarwar Hossain and Ansar member Abdul Aziz.

An hour after the daring incident, the wounded were rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital at 9:00pm.

A group of 25-armed attackers launched the attack around 6.30pm while the patrol team was preparing to return to the police station.

The attackers first stabbed the policemen and then opened fire on them forcing the law enforcers to fight back. But the police were overpowered soon by the gang.

The Rapid Action Battalion rushed to the scene and rescued the wounded law enforcers an hour later, a police officer said.

The Bagmara police chief said Purbobanglar Communist Party (Lal Pataka) left leaflets on the scene after the attack.