The mob beat up three youths as they allegedly attempted to rob two garment factory officials at Malibagh at around 11:30am on Sunday. One of the three, Shajidul Islam Biltu, 32, succumbed to his injuries several hours later.

The two others are Dipu Chowdhury, 38, and Abul Kalam Azad, 42.

Biltu's family yesterday claimed that he was innocent and alleged that the police tortured him to death without providing him with medical care.

On Sunday, a gang of five muggers shot and injured two garment officials and robbed them of Tk 9 lakh in front of a bank at Malibagh.

The police with the help of local people caught three of the muggers.

The police also claimed that they seized two revolvers and a pistol with eight bullets from the possession of the muggers and found a bag containing Tk 74,000.

Ramna police filed a robbery case while Khilgaon police filed three cases.

Khilgaon police yesterday produced the two -- Dipu and Azad -- before the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate with a prayer for seven-day remand, but the court granted a remand for three days.

Biltu's father Abdul Jabbar, a retired deputy secretary of food ministry, said there is no reason why his son would be a mugger.

"As far as I know, he earns around Tk 35,000 by doing some job," he said, adding that Biltu had many friends, including Dipu.

He accused the police of not providing proper treatment to his son timely and suspects that he might have died under torture in the custody.

The family members of Dipu, son of the owner of a shopping complex in Dhaka, however, declined to make any comment on the incident.

The police said Dipu operates a gang in the city.

Meanwhile, condition of Abu Zafar, one of the two bullet-wounded garment officials, is stated to be critical. He received several bullets in the chest, stomach and abdomen, and had been undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

The other injured official, Mohiuddin, left the hospital yesterday after treatment.