Two persons shot in indiscriminate firing in Gulshan

At least two persons, including a rickshaw peddler, were shot during an indiscriminate firing that took place at the capital's Gulshan-1 on Sunday afternoon following a dispute between a Mobile Finance Service (MFS) vendor and an MFS customer.

Police said Abdul Wahid alias Mintu, vice-president of Dhaka North unit of Swechchhasebak League, opened fire in an attempt to rescue his associate Arif who allegedly requested MFS vendor Halim to send Tk75,000 to three numbers and later denied to pay the amount, leading into a verbal altercation with the vendor, adjacent shop owners and passersby.

Later, Wahid and a few other persons reached there and Wahid shot two rounds of fire to rescue Arif, leaving rickshaw puller Abdur Rahim and a pedestrian named Aminul Islam injured. 

When the angry mob chased Wahid and his associates they took shelter at Glorea Jeans premises nearby, said police.

Rahim was shot in his leg and sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Masudur Rahman Monir, additional deputy commissioner of Gulshan Zone.

Following the shooting, Wahid and two of his associates were arrested and taken to Gulshan Police Station for quizzing, said police adding that the arms seized from Wahid's possession have a valid license which will expire after 2024.

DCC Market guard and witness of the incident Shahin Alam said that Wahid opened fire at around 4:15pm in a bid to take away one of his acquaintances who tried to leave the place without paying Tk75,000 after sending the amount from an MFS provider adjacent to the Gulshan-1's Golrea Jeans Café. 

He said that he had heard sounds of firing four to five bullets.

Saiful Islam, senior vice chairman of Navana Group who owns Gloria Jean's, told The Business Standard, "The clash started at DCC Market and they ended up running into our coffee shop. The wounded persons and the gang landed in our parking area and later we informed the police."

A case was being prepared regarding the shooting incident till filing the report at 9pm, said Abdul Ahad, deputy commissioner of DMP's Gulshan division. 

Photo: Collected

Dhaka Metropolis North Unit Swechchha Sebok League president Ishak Miah told reporters, "We have heard of the shooting. We will look into the matter and if Abdul Wahid Mintu is found guilty, our organisation will take stern action against him as Swechchha Sebok never tolerates anyone's turpitude." 

Witnesses said that the police arrested the Swechchhasebak League leader after people had kept him cordoned at Gloria Jean's.