'Militant dens' busted in Chittagong; couple held
Chittagong: Police unearthed two 'militant dens' at Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong on Wednesday.
Acting on the confessional statements of two suspected militants -- Hasan, 30, and Jasim, 32, arrested from Chandina upazila in Comilla while hurling bombs at police -- a team of Sitakunda police raided a house owned by Suresh Biswas in Madhyam Mahadebpur village in the upazila in the afternoon, said Mahabubur Rahman, assistant superintendent of police (Mirsarai circle).
Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the militants staying at the house hurled three grenades at them, prompting them to swing into action around 3 pm.
Later, the police team entered the house and took into custody a couple --Jashim and his wife Arjina -- and their two-month-old baby.
They also recovered a number of grenades, bombs and firearms from the house.
Quoting the house owner, police said the couple with their infant and two others rented the house on March 4. However, the two others who were introduced as the brothers-in-law of Jashim left the house later. Since then, they kept their windows and doors closed.
Following information gleaned from the couple, the same team raided another house, believed to be a militant hideout, in Premtala area, one kilometre away from their house, and surrounded it, said additional superintendent of police Rezaur Rahman.
When police tried to enter the house, suspected militants hurled hand grenades at them, leaving two policemen, including officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Police Station Mozammel, injured.
Later, a joint team of SWAT and district police made another attempt around 8pm to enter the house. However, the militants charged hand grenades again.
The law enforcers kept the house surrounded till filing of this report around 10:45.
Meanwhile, Police Super Nure Alam Mina said a special team will come here from the capital to conduct the operation.