Police said Zahir, ringleader of a gang of highway robbers, went on hiding after police started haunting him. He is accused in a number of criminal cases filed with the police station, police said.

Though police said Zahir went on hiding, locals alleged that Zahir often roamed at Mear Bazar and its surrounding areas and carried out criminal activities from there.

Officer-in-Charge of the police station said Zahir, son of Taiub Ali of Padua village had set ablaze the private car of local BNP leader Yousuf on August 21 last year. He is a charge-sheeted accused in the case filed with Katchua police station after the incident.

Zahir had attacked Abdul Haque near Mear Bazar in Comilla on Dhaka Chittagong highway and kidnapped him. Keeping him hostage, he snatched a mobile phone set, Tk 7,000 and took his signature on two blank stamps.

Locals said nobody dares to file any case against him as he threats of dire consequence if anybody protests his activities.