PABNA: Bodies of the three policemen shot dead by gunmen in a remote char area of Bera upazila on Tuesday night were sent to their village homes after funerals here Wednesday amid a gloom.

The dead were identified as SI Kafil Uddin, 46, of Chilmari in Kurigram, nayek Abdul Wahed, 27, of Sariakandi in Bogra and constable Shafiqul Islam, 31, of Ullapara in Sirajganj.

State Minister for Home Affairs Advocate Shamsul Islam Tuku, IGP Nur Mohammad, DG of RAB Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, Pabna Police Super Jamil Ahmed and ASP Mosharraf Hossain Niazi attended the janaza prayers held at the district Police Lines Jam-e-Masjid in the afternoon.

Before the janaza, the state minister conveyed his sympathies to the members of the bereaved families and informed that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also condoled on the deaths and conveyed her sympathies.

He assured the family members of the slain cops of providing them with all-out support.
 
Requesting all to face the situation with fortitude, he sought cooperation from all concerned “in bringing the culprits to justice”.

Calling upon the police members to remain alert in discharging their duties, Tuku said, “The government is determined to rein in the extremists.”

Meanwhile, Daspara char area was found deserted after the triple-murder of policemen in a deadly gun attack. People fled homes in fear of arrest. But, police could not make any arrest till the filing of this report at 5pm.

The three were killed as suspected ‘extremists’ sprayed bullets on a police team in the remote Dhalar Char Bazar area.   Bera thana OC Sheikh Zillur Rahman said the plainclothes police went to Daspara Char under Masumdia union at around 8pm for purchasing jute-sticks for cooking.  

“But, gunmen suddenly sprayed bullets on the police, killing the three on the spot,” police said.

An SI of police and three extremists were killed in a gunfight at Komorpur of Dhalarchar in the upazila on September 11, 2000.

BDST 1822 HRS, JULY 21, 2010.