A retired army man was shot dead by unidentified criminals at Dharmagarh area under Sadar upazila of Khagrachhari district yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Satindra Lal Tripura, 60, son of Bajandra Lal Tripura of the area, reports our correspondent.

Officer in-Charge (OC) Shamsuddin Bhuiyan of Khagrachhari Police Station quoted locals as saying that a gang of assailants sprayed bullets on Satindra Lal while he was going to a local bazaar around 11:00am. He died on the spot.

Being informed, police went to the spot, recovered the body and sent it to Khagrachhari Adunik Hospital for autopsy. Police are tying to unearth clue to the murder and arrest the killers, said the OC.

Our Bandarban correspondent adds: An armed gang abducted five people from Fokira Khola area under Fashiakhali union of Lama upazila early yesterday.

The victims are truck owner Nasir Uddin, driver Ibrahim, his assistant Mohammad Rubel and two indigenous people named Mong Prue Marma, and Mong Maye Marma, police and local UP Chairman Zakir Hossain Majumder said.

The kidnappers later demanded Tk three lakh from the father of Mong Prue Marma over cellphone for release of his son, the chairman and family members said.

Chairman Zakir said two gangs from Chakoria and Eidghar under Cox's bazaar district have been doing criminal activities in the area for long.

The five people might have been abducted by one of the gangs for ransom," the UP chairman said, adding that two indigenous people of the area were abducted 15 days ago and later freed on paying of ransom.

Officer-in-Charge Sirajul Islam of Lama Police Station said law enforcers have already launched a drive to rescue the abductees and arrest the criminals.