2 cops hurt in gunfight with yaba traders

Two DB policemen were injured in a gunfight with a gang of yaba traders in Bandarban Sadar upazila early yesterday.

After the gun battle, the detectives arrested two alleged yaba traders, Mohammad Ilias, 32, alias “Yaba” Bulu, and his associate Mohammad Rubel, 24, of Chittagong's Rangunia upazila.

Acting on secret information that some yaba traders were in Amtali area, a team of DB police raided the area around 12:45am, said Monzurul Alam, inspector of Bandarban Detective Branch (DB) of police.

Sensing the detective's presence, the criminals opened fire on them. The DB team then returned fire, triggering the gunfight between the detectives and the yaba traders.

At one stage, the DB team arrested two alleged yaba traders, while the others fled.

A pistol, four bullets and 100 yaba tablets were recovered from the arrestees' possession, the police official claimed.

Two constables were wounded in the incident. They are Tohel Ahmed Chowdhury, 24, and Kamrul Islam, 26.

Both Tohel and Kamrul were admitted to Bandarban Sadar Hospital, said the OC.

The two were later released from the hospital after being treated, said hospital sources.

Bulu stands accused in several criminal cases with different police stations, according to police.

Bulu is the ringleader of a gang named after him. The gang, comprising around thirty members, has been running criminal activities like abduction and drug peddling in Bandarban, Rangamati and Chittagong for the last four years, the police official claimed.

In another incident, police seized 10,600 yaba tablets and arrested two people in this connection in separate drives in Chittagong city early yesterday, reports a staff correspondent of Chittagong.

The arrestees are Hedayet Ullah, 30, and Khairul Islam, 32.