‘Drug peddler’ killed in ‘gunfight’

A suspected drug peddler was killed in a "shootout" with Rapid Action Battalion in his rented flat in Ashulia of Savar yesterday.

The dead, Raihan Sarkar, 35, was from Chandpur's Matlab upazila. He was accused in at least 11 cases, including those for murder and drug-related offences, said Mohiduddin Faruqe, superintendent of police at Rab-2.

He said a Rab team raided a flat in a three-storey building in Ashulia's Kabirpur area around 9:30am on information that Raihan, who had been selling drug for a long time, was staying there.

Standing at the front door of the flat, Rab members asked Raihan to surrender, but he did not comply. Instead, he opened fire at the law enforcers, forcing them to fire retaliatory shots, added Mohiduddin.

At one stage, Raihan was hit by bullets and he died on the spot.

The official claimed that Rab members Nasir and Monir received bullet injuries to their legs during the "gunfight". They were given first aid.

The Rab also claimed to have recovered a gun, two bullets, and 10,000 yaba tablets from the flat.

The body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College in Dhaka for an autopsy.

Javed Masud, inspector (investigation) of Ashulia Police Station, said the Rab was yet to inform them officially about the "shootout" incident.