4 killed in ‘gunfights’ with police
Four alleged criminals, including two robbers, were killed in "gunfights" with police in Dinajpur, Pabna, and Chapainawabganj early yesterday.
In Dinajpur, two members of a robber gang -- Rafiqul Islam, 28, of Gaibandha, and Wazed Ali, 30, of Dinajpur -- were killed in a "shootout" with police in Nawabganj upazila.
Police arrested the duo from Nawabganj on Wednesday.
Gleaning information from the two, a police team took the duo with them and raided Chhoto Magura village to recover firearms around 3:00am, said Ashok Kumar Chauhan, officer-in-charge of Nawabganj Police Station.
Sensing the law enforcers' presence, other members of the gang opened fire. Police retaliated, claimed the OC.
Rafiqul and Wazed were shot dead when they were trying to escape from police custody. However, others managed to flee, he added.
Four police personnel were injured in the incident, the OC claimed.
Rafiqul was accused in three robbery cases and Wazed in two robbery cases, said police.
The two bodies were sent to M Abdur Rahim Medical College in Dinajpur for autopsies, he added.
In another "gunfight", a suspected drug dealer, Habban Ali Sheikh, 45, of Pabna town, was killed in Pabna.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team conducted a drive in Char Shibrampur area of Pabna Sadar upazila around 2:00am, said Rafiqul Islam, superintendent of Pabna police.
When police reached the spot, the criminals fired on police. The law enforcers returned fire. After the "gun battle", police found bullet-hit Habban lying on the spot, he said.
Habban was declared dead after being taken to Pabna Sadar Hospital, the SP said.
He stood accused in 12 cases filed with different police stations, the police official added.
Four police personnel were hurt in the incident and they were admitted to Pabna General Hospital, the SP said, claiming that police recovered a firearm and five bullets from the spot.
In Chapainawabganj, the key suspect in a seven-year-old girl murder was killed in a "gunfight" with police at Horishpur in Sadar upazila yesterday afternoon.
Torikul Islam alias Saddam, 32, of Manik Hajir Tola village under the same upazila, was accused of killing the girl after rape.
Our Dinajpur, Pabna, and Chapainawabganj correspondents contributed to this report.