A former Jubo Dal leader, Ferdous Ahmed Simon, allegedly beat up a businessman in the capital’s Bangla Motor before firing two blank shots in an attempt to escape.

Mohammad Sohag, 35, a local medicine seller, was identified as the injured man, according to media reports.

Locals gathered at the spot and managed to stop Simon, who was fleeing on a motorcycle. The vehicle was later set on fire.

Angered by the sudden flare-up in tensions, locals gathered in the area near Rupayan Tower to protest the incident and chant slogans against Simon.

Viral videos of the unfolding events show residents protesting, with one person heard saying Simon had been extorting locals for a while.

Police reached the spot around midnight to bring the situation under control.

Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Md Ibne Mizan confirmed to the Bangla daily Prothom Alo that Simon and two of his associates had been taken into custody over the incident.

Additional law enforcers have been deployed at the spot.

Injured Sohag, speaking to the Bangla daily, alleged that Simon had hit him with the butt of the gun before firing the blank shots.

Jubo Dal maintains that Simon had been expelled from his post earlier over previous extortion allegations.