Two killed in ‘gunfights’

Two men were killed in “gunfights” with law enforcers in Chattogram and Chuadanga yesterday.

In Chattogram, a suspected robber was killed in a “gunfight” with members of Rab around 8:00am.

The dead -- Iran, 35 -- was accused in at least 10 cases filed with Banshkhali Police Station, said Major Mehedi Hasan, deputy director of Rab-7.

According to the Rab official, a patrol team of Rab raided East Chambal area of the district on information that a group robbers gathered there.

As soon as the law enforcers reached the area, the criminals opened fire, forcing them to retaliate, he claimed.

Iran sustained bullet injuries during the “gunfight” and died on the spot, he added.

The body was sent to Chattogram Medical College morgue for autopsy.

Rab also claimed to have recovered 13 firearms, local weapons and bullets from the spot.

Meanwhile, a suspected drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Chuadanga’s Damurhuda upazila.

The dead -- Rokonuzzaman Siddiq, 35 -- was accused in 11 cases, said police.

Sukumar Biswas, officer-in-charge of Damurhuda Police Station, said a police team raided Joyrampur village of the upazila around 2:30am on information that two groups of drug peddlers were distributing narcotics.

Sensing police presence, the criminals opened fire on the law enforcers, forcing them to retaliate, he claimed.

During the “gunfight”, Rokonuzzaman sustained bullet injuries and died on the spot, he added.

The body was sent to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Police claimed to have recovered one LG gun, 200 bottles of phensidyl and two sharp weapons from the spot.

Rokonuzzaman’s brother Asifuzzaman, however, alleged that his brother was detained on Thursday evening from a local bazar and he had been missing since then.

Our Kushtia correspondent contributed to this report.