DHAKA: A suspected mugger was shot dead during a shootout after a woman was mugged in the capital’s posh Gulshan area in broad daylight Wednesday, police and witnesses said.

During the exchange of fire, a bullet holed into the car of Awami League leader and former minister Abdur Razzak MP. He, however, was not inside the car, police said.  

Police said the shootings took place near the Pakistani High Commission at Gulshan-2 after two muggers robbed a woman named Rehana Parvin Nishu of her money, mobile phone and jewelry while traveling by rickshaw.

Razzak’s car was passing through the area at the time. As the victim cried out for help, the MP’s gunman, Hemayetuddin, a constable of the Special Branch of Police, who was in the car, intercepted the snatchers’ motorbike with the car.               

“As the snatchers fired on the car from their pistol, the gunman retaliated by firing from his gun,” says a spot account of the incident.

One of the snatchers fell dead on the spot while the other one was wounded during the exchange of fire, Gulshan police station’s operation officer sub-inspector Masud Karim told banglanews24.com.bd.

The injured one was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with bullet injuries in his throat.

The deceased was identified as Mohammad Badal and the injured as Sultan, a resident of Khilgaon in the capital.  

Inspector-General of Police Nur Mohammad, Director-General of RAB Hasan Mahmud Khondoker and DMP Commissioner AKM Shahidul Haq visited the spot.    

The DMP Commissioner regretted the incident at the important place and asked his force to remain alert round the clock so that “such incidents cannot take place centering the Eid anymore”.             

BDST 1520 HRS, AUGUST 18, 2010.