`Operation Sun Devil` in Rajshahi militant den ends
The `Operation Sun Devil` at militant den in Benipur area under Godagari Upazila of the district was ended today.
Nisharul Arif, Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police of Rajshahi Range, declared the operation closed formally this noon.
He told the journalists that family members of the dead suspected militants refused to take the bodies. "They were daring militants. Deceased Ashraful was an IT expert," he said.
Meanwhile, all the bodies were taken to the morgue of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
Five suspected militants including four members of a family and a fireman were killed while some others injured during the raid at the presumed militant hideout that began in the wee hours yesterday.
The deceased were identified as house-owner Sazzad Ali, his wife Belly Begum, their son Alamin Hossain and daughter Karima Khatun and another militant Ashraful, who hailed from Devipur village under Chapainawabgonj district.
"All the militants died in suicide blasts and were JMB operatives," Nisharul Arif said.
Another deceased Abdul Matin was a fireman.
Arif said Sumaiya, her children Jubayer, 8, and one and half years old Suraiya, who were rescued from the house, have been kept under police custody.
He said the bomb disposal unit recovered 11 bombs, one pistol, two rounds of bullets and a magazine from the house. Later, the unit disposed of the bombs near the place of occurrence this morning.
Sazzad Ali had begun residing in the one-storey tin-shed house, surrounded by water bodies in Benipur area of Habajpur, about a month ago.
He is said to be the father-in-law of one Jahurul, a militant already under police custody.
Officer-in-Charge of Godagari Police Station Hifzur Alam Munshi said police cordoned the house off since 9:00pm on Wednesday last. The operation began around 3:00am early Thursday. Police repeatedly told them to surrender.
The OC said police asked the militants by loudspeaker to come out of their hideout and surrender. Around 8:00am on Thursday, a minor boy came out with a child in his arms after police used water cannons on the house.
Minutes later, some militants including two women stormed out of the house and swooped on the police and firemen with sharp weapons, leaving seven policemen injured.
They also stabbed a fireman indiscriminately who was engaged in spraying water on the house to hydrate any explosives. One of the assailants was said to have been wearing suicide vest, OC Munshi added.
Later, fireman Abdul Matin succumbed to his injuries at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
SP of Rajshahi Moazzem Hossain Bhuiyan, Additional SP Sumit Chowdhury and other police officials concerned were present at the media-briefing session.
Source: BSS
