'Pichchi' Hannan received an alert call on his cell phone from a member of law-enforcers minutes before police team raided an under-construction building at Agargaon where the notorious criminal was holding a meeting with his associates Tuesday.

"Hannan indeed received a call minutes before the raid. We came to know about it while checking the caller's list on the mobile phones we recovered," said a police source yesterday preferring anonymity.

Hannan and his deputy, Nitel, left two cellular phones while turning tail after a 20-minute shootout that left Sub Inspector (SI) Humayun Kabir dead.

Police confirmed recovery of the cell phones but refused to say anything on record about the caller's identity.

"We are still trying to identify the caller," said investigation officer (IO) SI Kanchan Kumar Roy when approached.

SI Kanchan Kumar Roy however said they found out the identity

of the owners of the car and motorbike left on the spot. But he declined to disclose their names for the sake of investigation. He also did not confirm whether the criminals were using stolen car.

Police are yet to make any progress in arresting the absconders that also include Sanga Babu and Nitel.

A police team including the assistant commissioner and officer in charge of the Mirpur Police Station raided in vain the residence of Nitel's sister at South Paikpara on Wednesday night. They were informed by a source that Nitel, who is believed to have received bullet during the firefight, was hiding there.

SI Kanchan is interrogating the two criminals, Masum and Ainul, who failed to escape. He said he already got some important information about the gang while quizzing the two arrestees, now on a five-day remand.

"After we're done with them, we will raid some other places in the city tonight to nab absconders," he told The Daily Star last evening.