A drug gang kidnapped two of their rival gang members at gunpoint from Bhashantek slum in front of a crowd and gunned them down a kilometre away in Balurmath of Mirpur-13 early yesterday.

Kafrul police and eyewitnesses said 10 to 12 armed cadres of "Ibrahim Group" of the slum kidnapped Amirul Islam, 25. from his father-in-law's shanty and Mohammad Shahed, 20, from a crowded cultural programme around 2:00am.

Police said they recovered the bodies in the morning at Balurmath near Gudaraghat and sent those to Dhaka Medical College morgue for autopsy.

Officer-in-Charge Delwar Hossain of Kafrul Police Station

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said Amirul and Shahed were members of "Zabber Group" and informers of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-4).

"Ibrahim Group cadres killed Amirul and Shahed due to a long-standing feud," the OC said, adding, "Amirul and Shahed helped Rab arrest two brothers of drug peddler Parvej, also known as Beyadob Parvej, who is close to Ibrahim Group."

However, families of the deceased claimed that Amirul was a human-haulier driver and both of them were informers of Rab-4.

Deceased Amirul's father-in-law Shamsu Miah said, "The criminals broke through the bamboo wall of my house as we did not open the door. They dragged Amirul away despite our resistance."

"Several hundred slum dwellers witnessed the incident but none dared to come forward and help," said Shamsu Miah, adding, "After we informed Rab and police of the matter, they came but could not save Amirul and Shahed."

Shahed's mother Fatema Begum told The Daily Star, "Armed cadres Parvez, Jamai Shahid, Nara Shahid and a few masked criminals kidnapped my son when several hundred people were present."

She said, "Drugs have destroyed my entire family. There is a drug seller in the slum, my elder son Saju became an addict. We handed him over to police when the addiction was too much to bear. He is now in Kashimpur jailinGazipur."

"After that we sought help

from Rab personnel who asked us to help the law enforcers," Fatema said, adding, "The drug peddlers became angry after we started helping law enforcers."

Locals claimed Amirul and Shahed were also involved in criminal activities.

Shakhina Begum, 40, who lives in a slum near Balurmath, said she heard the gunshots but did not dare to come out of the house.

Kafrul police said Shahed's mother Fatema Begum filed a murder case accusing 10 to 12 criminals, including Parvej, Jamai Shahid and Nara Shahid.