Four policemen were injured in the shootout and the police seized a .22 bore revolver, two bullets, three cartridges and one misfired bullet abandoned by the criminals.

Bhutto, known as 'Killer' Bhutto, is accused in 14 cases, including a dozen for murders, registered with Kafrul, Mirpur, Tejgaon, Cantonment and Kotwali police stations.

The Cheetah team, led by Assistant Commissioner (AC) Nazmul Karim Khan of the Detective Branch (DB), arrested Bhutto at Paikpara in Mirpur on Thursday.

On his statement, a combined force of four teams recovered a .22 bore revolver and two bullets from a small thatched hut in Kalapani area at Pallabi at 3:10am yesterday.

As the joint force went to road No. 9 to seize arms and nab his associates, the criminals launched a sudden attack on the team at 3:30am, claimed a police press release. The police retaliated in self- defence, the release added.

Bhutto tried to run away during the shootout and was fatally wounded as he took bullets 'fired by his aides', the press release said.

Pallabi police Sub-inspector (SI) Ashfaq rushed Bhutto to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) and he was declared dead on arrival there.

AC Khan, SIs Mahabub Alam and SI Shafi Uddin and Constable Anisur Rahman were injured in the shootout and are undergoing treatment at Rajarbagh Police Lines Hospital, according to the press release.

Meanwhile, Bhutto's wife Bilkis Begum told reporters at the DMCH that her husband lived at Pachnakhali of Dhanbari in Tangail for the last one and a half years after his release from jail.

The police arrested him when he was sleeping in that house at 4:00am on Friday, took away around Tk 25,000 and seized his motorbike, she alleged.

"My son was not involved with crime after he came out of jail," said Bhutto's mother Mabia Khatun. His wife added, "He became a farmer leaving behind his chequered past and the police did not find any arms or illegal things in his possession."

"I want punishment of the killers of my son and want the seized goods and money back," his mother said.

Residents of the area where the shootout took place, meanwhile, said they only heard yells 'dhar', 'dhar' (catch, catch) and a couple of gunshots but did see nothing.