Twelve people were arrested yesterday in connection with the killing of Dr Hafizur Rahman of PG Hospital in front of his residence at Santanagar in Zigatola area under Dhan-mondi thana in the city Saturday night.

Dr Rahman was killed as he tried to get hold of one of the members of a gang of dacoits who entered his house at about 9:30 pm. police said.

Police arrested 12 people aged between 15 and 25 in this connection from different places in Zigatola and some other areas and also recovered two toy pistols from their possession.

The arrested were identified as Monjur Morshed. Harun-ur Rashid. Rokonuzzaman. Sha-hadat Hossain. Salahuddin alias Chanchai. Moinul Hossain. Monjur Hossain. Mor-salin. Rashed alias Sumon, Firoz. Jahangir Alam and Saidul Islam.

A gang of about eight armed men had entered the singlestorey house of the doctor where family function was going on. One of the miscreants snatched away a necklace from his sister while the others held the family members and guests in a room, family sources said.

At the that time the doctor returned home and some people started shouting 'dacoits ... da-coits'. The gang then got out of the house and tried to escape. As Dr Rahman tried to catch one of them, the gang members opened fire leaving him fatally injured. He died on way to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), hospital and police sources said.

A case was lodged with Dhanmondi thana in this connection.

Meanwhile, the body of the doctor was handed over his family after autopsy at DMCH, police said.