3 killed in 'gunfights'

Three people including a former municipal councillor were killed in separate “gunfights” with law enforceers in Habiganj, Netrakona and Feni early yesterday.

In Habiganj, former Chunarughat municipality councillor Yunus Miah, 40, an alleged drug peddler, was killed when police conducted a drive in Magurunda village in Paikpara union around midnight.

“On information that Yunus and three to four others were taking yaba around midnight, a team of police conducted the drive,” said Azmiruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Chunarughat police.

Sensing the presence of police, the drug traders attacked the law enforcers with sharp weapons, forcing them to retaliate that triggered the shootout, the OC claimed.

Injured Yunus was rushed to Chunarughat Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead.

The OC said Yunus had long been involved in yaba trading and was accused in some cases including drugs and robbery.

One of the policemen was also injured during the “gunfight”, he added.

In Netrakona, an alleged ringleader of an inter-district robbery gang was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Mohanganj upazila. The deceased was identified as Lutfor Rahman Ripul, 40.

Ansari Jinnat Ali, officer-in-charge of Mohanganj police, said Ripul was accused in 19 cases including murder and robbery filed with different police stations of Netrakona, Sylhet, Sunamganj and Manikganj.

On Sunday, the police arrested Ripul in Chandpur village around 3:00pm, took him to the police station and interrogated him, said the OC.

“When the police along with Ripul were going to that village again to recover firearms, his accomplices opened fire on the law enforcers near Nayapara area on way to Chandpur around 1:00am,” said the OC.

In retaliation, the police fired six rounds of bullets, forcing the gang members to retreat. The police found Ripul in a critical state with bullet wounds in his forehead and chest and rushed him to Mohanganj Upazila Health Complex where he succumbed to his injuries.

Three policemen -- a constable and two assistant sub-inspectors -- also sustained injuries during the incident and were given first aid, the OC added.

The police also recovered a country-made shutter gun, three machetes and two rounds of bullets from the area.

In the incident in Feni, another alleged drug peddler Anwar Hossain Raju, 25, was killed in a “gunfight” with the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) near Eidgah in Dharmapur village.

Shafayat Jamil Fahim, squadron leader of Rab-7 in Feni camp, claimed they had recovered two foreign pistols, two shutter guns, one local rifle, seven bullets and 656 pieces of yaba tablets from the spot.

Rashed Khan Chowdhury, OC of Feni Sadar police, said the deceased was accused in 10 cases for rape, robbery, arms, drug and smuggling.

In 2017, at least 162 people were killed in “crossfire”, “shootout”, and “gunfight” with the law-enforcement agencies or while they were in their custody, according to an annual report of rights body Ain o Salish Kendra.