2 ‘criminals’ killed in ‘gunfight’ with Rab

Two suspected criminals were killed in a “gunfight” with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Rampura area of Dhaka early today.

Identities of the deceased, aged between 30 and 40, could not be known immediately, Saiful Islam, operational officer of Rab-3, told The Daily Star.

A team of Rab-3 set up a check post near Ideal School and College at Banasree early today ahead of the BNP-led 20-party alliance’s 36-hour hartal that began 6:00am today.

The elite force team gave a signal to a moving private car to halt around 2:30am. But ignoring the signal, passengers of the car fired shots at the Rab members, triggering a ‘gun battle’, the Rab officer said.

Later, the Rab members found two passengers wounded with bullets and took them to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where doctors pronounced them dead, he said.

Another suspected criminal however managed to flee the scene.

The elite force members seized the private car and found two foreign pistols, two magazines, six bullets, a cover of pistol and two jackets of Detective Branch of police from the vehicle.

Two Rab members -- Anis and Monirul -- received minor injuries during the ‘gunfight’.

The private car was stolen from Kalabagan in Dhaka, the Rab official said.

A case was filed in this connection.