Murder case accused killed in 'gunfight'

Babu alias Palsar Babu, 35, the main accused in Awami League activist Abbas Mollah murder case, was  killed during a “gunfight” with a Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) team   in Jhikargachha of Jessore early yesterday.

Two Rab members, Mahbub, 45, and Hasan, 47, were injured in the encounter, Rab said.

Officer-in-Charge Abu Saleh Md Masud Karim of Jhikargachha Police Station said Babu was the main accused in the murder killing. He was also accused in several other cases.

Major Zia, commander, Jessore camp, Rab-6 said acting on a tip-off that a group of criminals had gathered for a meeting in Mirzapur village, a Rab team went to the area around 4:00am.

Sensing presence of the law enforcers, the gang fired at them triggering a “gunfight”, Director Major Ziaur Rahman Zia said. A pistol, a magazine and a sharp weapon were recovered from the spot.

Abbas Mollah, 40, was killed in a bomb attack near Rostampur Government Primary School on January 3. The OC said Abbas was killed over a factional feud in the ruling Awami League. He was the brother of Kamal Hossain, general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the police official said.

A case was filed with Jhikargachha Police Station in this regard.