Man killed in ‘gunfight’ in Kushtia

A suspected drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Kushtia’s Sadar upazila early yesterday.

The dead, Rafiqul Islam, 40, of Haripur village in the upazila, was accused in at least six drug related cases filed with Kushtia Model Police Station and Islamic University Police Station, said police.

Nasir Uddin, officer-in-charge of Kushtia Model Police Station, claimed they raided Harora field on information that two groups of drug peddlers were holding a secret meeting there.

As soon as the police team reached the area, the criminals opened fire, forcing the law enforcers to retaliate, the OC added.

At one stage of the “gunfight”, police found the body of Rafiqul lying on the spot. Rest of the criminals managed to flee, he further added.

Later, police recovered the body, sent it to Kushtia General Hospital morgue for autopsy, and then handed it over to family members.

Police claimed to have recovered a pistol, three bullets and 380 yaba pills from the spot.

Seeking anonymity, one of Rafiqul’s relatives, said he was not involved in drug dealing.

Asked, Nasir Uddin said, “If he was not involved in drug dealing, how did we have six cases filed against him?”

“Rafiqul even married a girl in Teknaf to make his business a success,” he said.