The leader of a criminal gang and its three members were arrested from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMUH) premises in the city yesterday.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and Ansar personnel picked up gang leader Mohammad Rahim, 28, also known as Tun da Rahim, and his three accomplices Nur Nabi, 31, Mohammad Ripon, 28, and Sohel Miah, 20, and handed them over to the Shahbagh police.

The gang members, who reside at the staff quarters of the hospital and adjacent areas, are engaged in mugging, extortion and other crimes in and around Shahbagh area, the police said.

Local people said Rahim and his men are engaged in various crimes -- they snatch valuables from pedestrians, extort money from footpath vendors and also cheat patients and their relatives out of money.

“None of us dare to say anything against them in fear as they are linked to crime networks," said a tea vendor in Shahbagh area.

The police said Rahim is accused in a number of mug-

gingcases.

Ansar Platoon Commander Jahangir Alam, the chief of a 120-member team deployed in the hospital area for security reasons, told The Daily Star, "These youths always roam around the area and commit various crimes.”

"We with the help of Rab members caught them in the morning. Later. Rab personnel handed them over to Shahbagh police station in the afternoon," he added.

Patients coming to hospital often fall victim to their criminal activities, said an Ansar man.

The arrestees, now in the custody of Shahbagh police station, told reporters that the police arrested them as they were protesting the eviction of some tea stalls from footpaths.

Rahim said that the police had also arrested him last week, but he was released on bond arranged by his 'big brothers'.

In presence of reporters, Rahim even threatened Ansar Platoon Commander Jahangir Alam, who filed a case with the Shahbagh police, saying, "I will return to my place after a maximum period of one year. 1 will then take revenge on you, if you are found in the area."