Five alleged criminals, including four dacoits, were killed in separate crossfire incidents between members of law enforcing agencies and miscreants at Noakhali, Jhenaidah and Natore in the early hours of yesterday.

Two alleged dacoits--Yusuf and Jahangir alias Yakub--were killed at Hossainpur under Begumganj Upazila in Noakhali, while another two dacoits, Santi and Goutam Kumar, were killed at Kutchandpur and Kaliganj upazilas in Jhenaidah district.

In another incident, Moslem Mollah alias Omar, a suspected leader of an underground party, was killed in crossfire with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) at Kalaikari village in Shingra Upazila early in Natore district.

Our Noakhali Correspondent Reports: Police sources said two suspected dacoits, Yusuf and Shahjahan alias Badshah, were arrested with Tk 1 lakh from a house at Chowmohoni on Sunday in connection with Sunday's snatching of bank money.

On Sunday, a gang of dacoits shot dead baby-taxi driver Noor Nabi and wounded two employees of Rupali Bank--Abul Kalam and Nooruddin--while snatching Tk 8 lakh of the bank.

Police arrested another dacoit Jahangir alias Yakub from Chawkbazar of Chittagong on Monday.

During interrogation, the arrested persons confessed to the police that the rest of the booty and a number of firearms were kept hidden in the house of Liton, an accomplice, at Hossainpur.

Following their statements, police took Shahjahan and Jahangir to the spot to arrest Liton, Monday night.

When police cordoned off the house of Liton at about 2:00am, he and their accomplices opened fire, triggering a gunfight.

Shahjahan and Jahangir sustained bullet wounds during the exchange. They were taken to the General Hospital where Shahjahan died late in the night. Jahangir died on way to Dhaka Medical Hospital.

Five law enforces were also injured when the terrorists hurled bombs at them. They are SI Noor Hossain, Constables Abdul Khalek and Mosleuddin and Nazir and Ismail two members of the Ansar. They were admitted to the hospital.

Police recovered a foreign-made gun and ammunition from the spot after the late-night clash.

Our Jhenidah Correspondent Reports: The dead were identified as Shanti, 45, and Gautam Kumar, 45, both robbers.

Police arrested Shanti, an activist of the outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party (ML-Janajuddha), from village Chandpara in Kotchandpur Upazila headquarters Monday evening and took him to village Alangi near Elangi math area in search of firearms at midnight.

As soon as they reached the spot, associates of Shanti encountered the law-enforcers. Police also returned the fire. During the shootout, Shanti was killed on the spot.

Police recovered a pipe gun and two bullets from the scene.

ASI Saheb Ali and constables Mahmudul Islam and Sirajul Islam were also injured in the armed encounter.

Shanti was wanted in four cases including three murders,

In another incident, Kaliganj police arrested Gautam, reportedly a leader of a dacoit gang, from Barobazar in Kaliganj Upazila on Monday.

Later, on his confessional statement, a team of police took him to Pirojpur area in the same upazila at 4:15am to nab his accomplices.

When the police team reached the railway tracks, accomplices of Goutam fired on the police team to snatch him from police custody.

When police returned the fire, Gautam was struck by bullets in "crossfire" when he tried to escape and died on the spot, police sources said.

Police recovered a pipe gun, one bullet, three knives and two choppers from the scene.

Our Rajshahi Corresponded reports: Moslem alias Amar, son of one Nazir Mollah of Ramrama village under Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi district and reportedly Rajshahi divisional Vice president of Out laws (extremist), was killed in crossfire between the RAB and the outlaws at Pashchim Kalaikuri village under Singra Upazila of Natore district.

According to RAB sources, Amar was associated with anti-social activities for a long time.

Acting on a tip off, a team of RAB-5 arrested him from Zikrihat village under Bagatipara Upazila of Natore district Monday night. According to his statement, a team of RAB took him to village Kalaikuri to arrest his associates and to recover arms.

But the associates of Amar started firing on RAB members all on a sudden when they reached the village at 3:00am.

RAB members also fired on them in self-defence. Amar at one stage of the shoot out tried to flee but received serious bullet wounds.

RAB rushed him to nearby Singra Health Complex where the on-duty doctors declared him dead.

RAB sources said Amar was accused in Babul Member and Dulu killing cases.

He was also a party to the killings of Professor Wahed, Abdul Hamid Maru, Paki, Maju and Gama. Many cases including that of murder were pending with different courts against him.

RAB recovered one foreign-made pistol, one magazine of pistol, one bullet and many books and leaflets of the outlawed party from the spot.