Suspected drug peddler killed in ‘shootout’

A suspected drug trader was killed in a "gunfight" with detectives in Naogaon's Manda upazila early yesterday hours after he was arrested.

The dead, Aurangazeb Jebu, 45, was accused in 12 drug cases, said Abdul Mannan Mia, superintendent of police (SP) in Noagaon.

The SP said detective branch (DB) of police arrested Jebu from Delubaria area of the upazila on Monday evening.

Gleaning information from him, a team of DB police, along with Jebu, went to Bharsho area in the upazila to recover more drugs around 3:00am. 

Sensing presence of the law enforcers, a gang of drug peddlers opened fire on them, forcing them to retaliate that eventually triggered a "gunfight", SP Mannan said.

Three policemen and Jebu were injured during the incident and they were taken to Manda Upazila Health Complex were doctors declared Jebu dead, he said.

The three policemen -- Assistant Sub Inspector Mehdi Hasan, Constable Rumon Hossain and Constable Shimul Mir -- were shifted to Naogaon General Hospital for better treatment. 

Talking to The Daily Star, Jebu's wife Nur Jahan Begum said her husband gave up drug dealing a couple of months ago. 

"This is not justice. Killing someone in this way cannot be accepted," she said.