‘Drug dealer’ killed in a ‘gunfight’

A suspected drug peddler was killed in an alleged gunfight with police at Harua Bazar area in Mymensingh’s Ishwarganj upazila early yesterday.

The dead was identified as Mustafa Bhuiyan, 30.

Ahmed Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Ishwarganj Police Station, said that on information about drug peddlers gathering at the Harua Bazar area, a police team, led by him, conducted a raid there around 12:45am.

A team from the detective branch (DB) of Police in Mymensingh also joined the raid, he added.

Sensing police presence, the criminals started throwing brickbats at them and fired several gunshots to which the law enforcers retaliated, said the OC.

Police rescued Mustafa from the spot and sent him to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH), where doctors declared him dead. His body was sent to MMCH morgue for autopsy.

Police claimed to have recovered 200 grams of heroin and 100 yaba pills from the spot. 

Two sub-inspectors -- Md Mobarak Hossain and Shafiqul Islam -- were injured during the incident and they were given treatment at Ishwarganj Upazila Health Complex, the OC claimed.

A case was lodged with Ishwarganj Police Station.

The OC said Mustafa was earlier accused in four drug related cases filed with the same station.