According to the police version, which was reported in newspapers yesterday, the deceased were killed in an 'armed encounter' with the police. But local residents claimed that they saw them being shot point blank by the police.

Eyewitnesses said they saw the police chasing four young men through the neighbourhood Thursday evening. Two of them managed to escape while Monir and Mujib were caught.

The police dragged the two young men on to the street, made them lie on the asphalt and shot them dead point blank while the two were pleading for mercy, alleged local residents.

The police drove the women onlookers away before killing the two young men, the residents told The Daily Star yesterday.

They also said incidents of mugging went up in the neighbourhood in the last few months.

The police said the slain two were apprehended in suspicion of preparing for a hijacking operation.

The law enforcers could not say if there is any criminal record in file against the two. They however said Monir was known as 'Bomb Monir' in the neighbourhood and was involved in criminal activities.

Dead bodies of Monir and Mujib are lying in Dhaka Medical College (DMC) Morgue.

Autopsies are scheduled be done today.

Kawsar, uncle of Mujibur, told journalists yesterday at the morgue that he came to know about Mujib's death from newspaper reports. Mujib was an employee in an artificial leather shop at Bangsal and was not engaged in criminal activities, he claimed.

Sub-inspector Khaleq of Demra Police Station filed a case Thursday night regarding the incident.

When The Daily Star asked Khaleq over phone about the claim of local residents he said, "Please write what the local people told you. I can't comment on this."

The residents said just after the shooting a large number of Rab and Detective Branch personnel, and high-ranking police officials rushed to the scene.