The two men who died in an alleged gunfight in Chittagong City were innocent, their families have claimed.
Police, however, have rejected the family version, saying both were muggers.
Locals say one of the youths owned a fuel oil shop while another was a truck driver.
Ismail Hossain Rajib, 25, and Nasir Uddin, 32, died in the ‘gunfight’ with police at Bondor Toll Road in the city’s Halishohor Police Station at dawn on Wednesday.
Protesting against the ‘killings’, locals blocked the Agrabad Express Road for around one and a half hours.
Locals say Rajib was the owner of Star Mayer Doa Oil and Motor Parts while Nasir was a truck driver.
Police say both the youths were the members of the muggers’ syndicate involved in the murder of a policeman, Farid Uddin, on Monday.
Rajib’s elder brother Mojibur Rahman said police had whisked away Rajib and Nasir in a tempo.
Speaking to bdnews24.com, he said, “A security guard told me that police picked up my brother Rajib and Nasir.”
“The security guard works for Gausia Market adjoin the Express Road.”
Shortly after he reached Lucky Plaza, he learnt they had been taken away in a white microbus.
“But the police who were in the tempo did not tell us anything. Later, we learnt Rajib and Nasir had died in a gunfight with police on the toll road.”
Nasir’s brother Md Akram said his brother was a truck driver. “He was going to Rajib’s shop to buy oil for his truck.”
“At first we heard they had been taken away by police in a tempo. Later, from TV we gathered that they had died.”
Rajib’s brother Mojib said, “There is no case against my brother. Why did he have to die?”
Nasir’s brother Akram said he would file a case in this connection.
Rajib was married and had a daughter while Nasir has left behind a son.
Although the police claimed they were muggers, they did not make a formal statement throughout the day.
Members of an organised muggers’ gang had killed policeman Farid Uddin, said Doublemooring Police Station’s Deputy Commissioner (west) Nihar Ranjan Howlader, speaking to reporters at night.
Among the five arrested persons, two – Arjun and Monir – have already confessed before the court that they had been involved in the murder, he said.
“The confessions mention the involvement of Nasir and Rajib in the police murder.”
He claimed that they had gone on a secret drive at 4:30am on Wednesday, when muggers fired at the police, triggering a gunfight.
Nasir and Rajib were killed during the skirmish, he said, adding that police also recovered a single-barrel gun, four cartridges, two knives and a mobile phone from the spot.
Police have filed two cases – one for barring police from doing their duty and another for possessing arms.
Asked about the road blockade by locals, he said, “A BNP leader is trying to serve his political interest through this.”
Policeman Farid Uddin, 45, had died on Monday night as miscreants knifed him in front of Agrabad Colony Gate in the city.
Farid was serving as a Nayek at the Damparha Police Lines. He was in uniform when killed.
He used to live in his government flat quarters at C&B Colony where the killing took place. Rajib’s shop was situated nearby. Nasir and Rajib’s houses were also at nearby Hajiparha.
Doublemooring Police Station’s SI Aminul Islam filed a case in connection with the murder of the police on Tuesday.
Later, on Wednesday, Rajib and Nasir were killed in an alleged encounter with police.
Source: BD news24