Police detained four individuals from near the Institute of Public Health in Dhaka's Mohakhali this afternoon while they were allegedly preparing to bring out a flash procession under the banner of the Dhaka North City unit of Awami League, whose activities are currently banned.

The detainees are Aslam Mia, 25, and Ashikul Islam, 24, activists of the Government Bangla College unit of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League; and Mahfuzur Rahman Siam, 19, and Monir Hossain, 48, activists of Awami League.

Sources at Banani Police Station said a group of 30 to 40 people riding in CNG-run auto-rickshaws gathered near the Institute of Public Health around 1:30pm to prepare for a procession.

With assistance from locals, police managed to detain four of them. One of the detainees was beaten by people before being handed over to law enforcement at the Mohakhali bus terminal police outpost.

When policemen attempted to apprehend the remaining individuals, they allegedly exploded several crude bombs before fleeing the area.

Confirming the development, AK Moin Uddin, inspector (operations) of Banani Police Station, told The Daily Star that the process of filing a case over the incident is underway.