A mob beat four suspected robbers to death and injured two others foiling their bid to escape police custody at Chairman Ghat in Hatiya upazila of Noakhali early yesterday, reports UNB. Additional superintendent of police AKM Asaduzzaman said a gang of robbers numbering six were coming towards Chairman Ghat area by a boat to commit robbery at about 3:00 pm. As suspicion arouse, locals questioned them and informed police. A team of police from Chairman Ghat police camp came in and picked up the six from the boat and took them to the police camp.
The law enforcers also recovered some locally-made sharp weapons, a handcuff and four life jackets from the boat.
Later, the arrestees swooped on policemen in the camp and at one stage, they with their weapons laid down on the camp table hit the policemen and managed to get free by cutting the ropes tied around their waists at about 11:00 pm. The fight left three police constables injured.
At one stage, local people chased them off and managed to catch them and gave them a severe thrashing, leaving all the six robbers injured.
Later, police rushed in, rescued the injured and took them to Noakhali Sadar Hospital where doctors declared four of them dead at 2.00am on Saturday.
The dead include Abu Bakar Siddik,27, son of late Abdul Mannan of Joypurhat, Ashikur Rahman,24, son of Nur Alam, Saiful Islam Sujon,22, son of late Abdul Mannan of Dinajpur, and Sunam,25, son of late Abul Hashem of Chapainawabganj district, dead.
The injured are Akbar,26, son of Belal Hossain, and Abdul Karim,30, of Laxmipur district.
Meanwhile, three separate cases were filed on Saturday afternoon in connection with the incident. Sub-inspector Mazibur Rahman of Hatiya thana filed three cases- for attempting to commit robbery, murder and assault on police with the police station.