March 28, 2024, 5:30 pm


SAM

Published:
2018-10-18 01:01:05 BdST

SWAT to raid on 2nd militant den at Narsingdi


FT ONLINE

A Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team is preparing to launch an anti-militant raid on Nilufa Villa, one of the two buildings law enforcers had cordoned off in Narsingdi on Monday night.

Security had been tightened around the seven-storey building in the Madhabdi municipality on Wednesday morning.

On the second day of the ‘Gardian Knot’ operation, law enforcers deployed a drone to observe the situation at the second ‘militant den’ at Gangpar in Madhabdi municipality of Narsingdi.

Briefing reporters in the morning, Monirul Islam, chief of the members of Counter Terrorism and Transnational (CTTC) unit of DMP, said, “The existence of two militants inside this house is sure …there might be more. They might have assembled explosives in the house.”

“We have been asking them to surrender but they did not respond. Also we assured them to provide legal support. If the negotiations fail, then the law enforcers will begin SWAT operation," he added.

Law enforcers have instructed people in the densely-populated area to evacuate to a safe distance. Stores at nearby markets have been ordered closed since Tuesday morning.

The owner of Nilufa Villa is one Haji Md Afzal Hossain. The Miftahul Jannah Mohila Madrasa takes up the first three floors of the building, the militants are in a flat on the fifth floor of the building.

SWAT team members were seen advancing towards the suspected militant hideout around 9:30am.

The district administration imposed section 144 in and around 500-yard areas of the building to avoid any kind accident.

However, no official announcements have come yet on when the final raid will start.

Earlier on Tuesday, two suspected Neo-JMB militant were killed in explosion during a drive at a militant den in Shaikerchar area of Narsingdi Sadar upazila on Tuesday afternoon.

Operation ‘Gordian Knot’ was going on at one of two suspected militant dens which remains cordoned off by law enforcers in Bhogiratpur and Madhabdi areas in Narsingdi sadar upazila since Monday night.

The operation was being conducted at the suspected militant hideout in Bhogiratpur Chairman Market area, said IGP of police Mohammad Javed Patwary.

The militants also fired back at law enforcers during the raid.

The militants were asked to surrender but since they did not surrender we have started firing shots at the building according to the manual, he said.

Members of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team started the mission around 11:15am Tuesday.

Earlier, law enforcement agencies cordoned off two suspected militant hideouts in Bhogiratpur and Madhabdi areas in Narsingdi sadar upazila on Monday night.

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