Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) claimed arrest of five members of banned Islamist outfit Ansar Al Islam during a raid in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi today.

The arrestees are Anisur Rahman, 32, Shahidul Islam 31, Nazrul islam Mollah, 42, Babar Munsi, 45, and Md Shahin 27, our Rajshahi staff correspondent reports.

Lt Col Mahbubul Alam, commanding officer of the Rab-5, said they were all active members of the banned outfit.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab-5 conducted a raid at Bharuya village around 3:00am and arrested Anisur Rahman and Shahidul Islam. Following their confession, the elite force raided Billkazi village and arrested the others, he said.

Religiously inciting books were seized from their possession.