DUSHANBE, March 26, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Alleged criminal leader has been killed as a hand grenade has exploded in his hand.

The incident took place in the area of Dushanbe’s bus terminal yesterday when police officers were attempting to detain alleged criminal ringleader, a source at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said.

According to him, the 44-year-old resident of the Vahdat district Khudoinazar Odinayev had been wanted by police since 1995 on suspicion of involvement in robberies, murders and banditry.

“Odinayev refused to obey surrender orders by police officers and produced a hand
grenade out of his pocket,” said the source.  “The terminal bus is a crowded area and in order to avoid possible human casualties police officers shot at him.  The grenade fell near Odinayev and detonated.”

Odinayev reportedly sustained serious wounds in the grenade blast and died later.  Nobody of police officers and civilians was wounded.

The source noted that they had found the trace of Odinayev after the arrest of five members of hic gang.