3 killed in ‘gunfights’

Three suspected criminals were killed in separate reported incidents of “gunfights” with law enforcers in three districts early yesterday. 

In Cox’s Bazar, a “suspected drug smuggler” was killed in a “gunfight” with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials in Hnila union of Teknaf upazila around 4:00am, reports our local correspondent, quoting Lt Col Mohammad Faisal Hasan Khan, commanding officer (CO) of BGB 2 Battalion.

He said the person was a Rohingya from Kutupalong camp, however, he could not confirm the identity of the victim.

The incident took place near Jadimura mosque in the union on the bank of Naf River when a BGB special patrol team noticed some people carrying sacks on their head, the official said.

As the BGB team challenged them, they opened fire on the law enforcers in response, triggering the gun battle, the CO said.

BGB later found the victim caught a bullet and took him to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex and later to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

He was at first taken to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, the BGB official said, adding that the body of the deceased had been kept at the hospital morgue.

BGB recovered 1.3 lakh pieces of yaba pills, a locally made firearm and a bullet from the spot.

Two BGB personnel -- Lance Nayek Nurul Amin, 27, and Lance Nayek Shahinur Rahman, 25 -- also got injured in the “gunfight”, he added.

In Magura, an alleged robber was killed in what law enforcers claimed was a gunfight between two robber gangs early yesterday.

The victim is Mintu Gazi, 40, reports our Jhenidah correspondent quoting Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Magura Sadar Police Station.

After hearing several gunshots, a police patrol team rushed to Barunatoil Bridge area and recovered Mintu with a bullet injury. 

They took him to Magura Sadar Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, the official said.

Police also recovered a gun, two bullets and two machetes from the spot.

In Natore, a “murder accused” was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Gurudaspur upazila early yesterday.

Deceased Abu Hanif Bepari was accused of murder and several other cases, including robbery, said Akramul Hossain, additional superintendent of police in Natore.

Police detained Hanif from Dhaka’s Badda area on Wednesday, SP Akramul said.

The “gunfight” took place when a team of police, along with Hanif, went to Pargurudaspur area and raided a banana orchard to detain his associates, he added.

Two policemen sustained injuries during the incident, he confirmed.

Police seized a pistol, a pipe gun and five bullets from the spot.