BNP man, 2 robbers killed in 'gunfights'
Three people, including a union-level BNP leader and two alleged robbers, were killed in separate “gunfights” in Meherpur and Bagerhat yesterday, law enforcers claimed.
In Meherpur, Ramjan Ali Sheikh, 42, vice-president of Pirojpur union unit of BNP, died in a “shootout” with police.
Police arrested Ramjan, son of late Amir Sheikh in Rajnagar village of Meherpur Sadar upazila, from his village around 8:30pm on Sunday.
As per his information, the law enforcers along with Ramjan went to Bandar Shashan ghat (cremation ground) in Meherpur town for arms recovery, reports our Kushtia correspondent, quoting Ahsan Habib, officer-in-charge of Meherpur Sadar Police Station.
Around 2:30am, some Ramjan's men opened fire on police when the policemen reached near the Bandar Shashan ghat. The law enforcers returned fire, triggering a “gunfight” between the police and the criminals, the police official said.
Ramjan was caught in the line of fire when he tried to flee from the police van during the gun battle, the OC claimed.
He was taken to Meherpur General Hospital where on-duty doctors declared Ramjan dead.
A firearm, two bullets and several sharp weapons were recovered from the spot, police claimed.
Ramjan stood accused in six criminal cases, including those for attacking police and bomb blasts, according to police.
Sharifa Khatun, wife of the BNP leader, alleged that police arrested her husband from their house early Saturday. “They told me that Ramjan would be sent to the court when I went to the police station on Saturday noon.”
However, the OC of Sadar Police Station said no-one came to him and talked about Ramjan.
In another incident, two robbers, including the chief of a robber gang, were killed in a “shootout” with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in the Sundarbans yesterday morning, reports a correspondent from Bagerhat.
The dead are Monir Khalifa, 30, who ran a gang named after him, and his aide Nur Islam Sardar alias Bhola, 48.
Acting on a tip-off that some robbers were near Urubunia canal in Chandpai range of the Sundarbans East Division, a team of the elite force raided the area around 7:30am, said Lt Col Faridul Alam, commanding officer of Rab-8.
Sensing the Rab members' presence, the criminals fired on them. The elite force then fired back, triggering a “gunfight” between the robbers and Rab.
After the 45-minute gun battle, the elite force members found Monir and Nur Islam dead on the spot, said the Rab official.
Rab also claimed to have recovered 18 arms, over 300 bullets, seven sharp weapons and two mobile phone sets from the scene.
Both Monir and his associate Nur Islam were accused in several cases, including robbery and fishermen abduction, with different police stations in Bagerhat, according to Rab.