Rab team starts investigation

A probe team from the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) headquarters yesterday visited the spot and recorded statements into the Rab “shootout” that disabled teenage Limon Hossain of Chhaturia in Jhalakathi district.
However, police are yet to register the case Limon's mother filed with a Jhalakathi court against six Rab members in connection with the shooting.
Sources said the three-member probe team from Dhaka led by Mezbahuddin, additional director general (Director Training) of Rab, recorded statements of 11 witnesses, including the victim's mother, brother and uncle.
Manirul Huq, commanding officer of Rab-8 in Barisal, said the probe team is working independently without contacting local Rab and police and will submit its report directly to the director general of Rab.
Jhalakathi Senior Judicial Magistrate Nusrat Jahan on Sunday directed the officer-in-charge of Rajapur Police Station to register the petition of Limon's mother as a regular case and investigate the incident. The court order reached the police station Monday.
The superintendent of police (SP) in Jahalakathi Md Shamsuddin and the officer-in-charge (OC) of Rajapur Police Station Tofazzal Hossain, however, went on leave from yesterday.
Contacted, the SP yesterday said as far as he knows the case is yet to be recorded.
Sub-inspector Halim, now the acting OC of Rajapur Police Station, said the case will be recorded when the OC retunes.
Meanwhile on Monday, police went to the spot and recorded statement of witnesses investigating the two cases filed by Rab against Limon.
Khalilur Rahman, Barisal district coordinator of Bangladesh Legal Aid Services Trust, said if the acting OC does not compile with the court order he [acting OC] would be liable for contempt of court.
Nashimul Hassan, pleader of Limon's mother Henoara Begum's case, yesterday said he would move to the court for further action on Wednesday [today] if the case is not registered by then.
Meanwhile, in a press briefing at the home ministry yesterday, State Minister for Shamsul Haque Tuku said five probe bodies are working on the shooting incident. They are Rab headquarters, Jhalakathi Rab, a magistrate and two investigators.
Asked about formation of a probe committee by the home ministry, he reiterated that the ministry would form the committee if necessary. He urged reporters to visit the spot and find out what actually happened.
He however declined to comment further in this regard.
On March 23, Limon was shot in the left leg allegedly by Rab personnel while he was bringing cattle home around 4:30pm. On March 27, his leg was amputated from the thigh due to tissue damage caused by excessive bleeding and delay in treatment.
In the night of the shooting, Rab issued a press release saying a team of Rab-8 went to Chhaturia to arrest convicted criminal Morshed. Limon was one of Morshed's cohorts and the Rab personnel found him wounded. They also recovered some firearms, ammunition and sharp weapons from him, claimed the press release.
DG Rab Muklesur Rahman on Monday said Limon was accidentally hit by a bullet during a shootout between Rab and criminals. Limon is not a criminal, the DG added.