The Independent, 20 September 2003
http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/sep/20/20092003mt.htm#A4
OUR CORRESPONDENT, KHAGRACHHARI
Sept 19: An alleged miscreants was caught redhanded after a gun battle between the members of the Bangladesh Army and an armed gang at Komolchara Bot-Tali near Khagrachai town yesterday.
The person was identified as Kiron Joy Chakma (32).
Army sources said that receiving information about an armed gang, at Bot-Tali village to collect toll from the villagers, they cordoned the area.
Sensing the presence of armymen, the miscreants opened fire at them. The members of the army also returned the fire and the hoodlums escaped from the spot. During the battle, at least 13 rounds of fire were exchanged between them.
Though the other members of the gang somehow managed to escape, Kiron was nabbed from an adjoining paddy field with a cassette player, bullets, cash money and valuables.
Army and police are interrogating the alleged culprit.
On the other hand, United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), an organisation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), in a press release, condemned the arrest of Kiron Chakma.
Our Bandarban Correspondent writes: BDR personnel recovered ammunition, grenade, time bombs and explosives in a special raid at a den of miscreants in a remote hill in Naikkongchhari upazila in last two days.
Official sources said yesterday that the BDR personnel of Naikkongchhari zone led by commander Lt Col Hasibur Rahman raided a hill at Hatirdeba and found the den of the criminals. The BDR destroyed the den and recovered the arms and ammunition.
The recovered arms and ammunition include one shot gun, 310 grenades, 130 kg powerful explosives, 50 time bombs, 226 grenades, 14 containers of chemicals, 40 battery connections, 63 round of bullets of M-16 rifles, gun powder, combat dress, one binocular, 11 circuit telecom, one ammonium set antenna, wireless set antenna, two telephone sets and several wireless sets.
Chased by the BDR jawans, the miscreants fled to deep forest and entered Indian territory.
Meanwhile four tribal youths surrendered to the joint forces at Tarachha area in Bandarban district on Wednesday night. They also deposited one gun and 600 rounds of bullet of G-3 rifles. The tribal youths who surrendered are Gorimong Marma, Unichong Marma, Kachaching Marma and Unumong Marma. They are from Tarachha area.
In Rangamati the army recovered some sophisticated arms and ammunition from a den of tribal outlaws at Shilapara area of Sadar upazila yesterday.
Police and local sources said a contingent of army, acting on a tip-off, raided the den at Shilapara at dawn. The miscreants fled into the deep forest after an exchange of fire with the armymen.
The army personnel recovered four rifles, three LGs and 30 rounds of bullet as well as some important documents from the place.
Local people alleged that the pro-CHT peace treaty elements had been operating from the den carrying out abductions and extortion in the area for long.
On Wednesday a group of tribal miscreants attacked an army patrol in Banduk Bhanga union of Sadar upazila.
The outlaws fled away into the deep forest after protracted exchange of fire with the army.
The army arrested a criminal, Indra Mohan Chakma and recovered the body of
an unidentified gang member from the area.