Two killed in ‘gunfights’
An activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir, who is also accused in the murder of a Chhatra League leader in Noakhali's Begumganj upazila, was killed in a "gunfight" with police early yesterday.
The dead was Nazrul Islam, 26. He was the second among 25 accused in the case filed for the murder of union level BCL leader Rakibul Hossain, said Harunur Rashid Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Begumganj Police Station.
Rakibul, 20, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Monday, a day after Shibir men allegedly carried out an attack on BCL men at Amanullahpur Bazar area, which left 10 other activists injured, reports our Noakhali correspondent.
The OC said yesterday's gunfight took place when a police team conducted a drive at Amanullahpur village to arrest the accused in the case around 3:30am.
Nazrul's family, however, alleged that police picked him up and killed him.
"Sensing presence of law enforcers, a group of 'Shibir cadres', led by its leader Pias, fired gunshots at police who fired back, triggering the gunfight," OC Harunur said.
Nazrul was hit with bullets and was declared dead after police took him to Noakhali General Hospital. The other Shibir men fled, the OC said.
Police claimed to have recovered a pistol, three bullets and three knives from the spot.
Nazrul's brother Omar Faruk said his brother, a first year Kamil student of a madrasa in Lakshmipur, was involved in Shibir politics but not involved in Rakibul's killing.
"My brother arrived in his lodging's house in Chowmuhani upazila after securing bail from High Court in another case two days ago."
"Two people picked him up from the house around 7:30pm on Monday. Police killed him that night and branded it as a crossfire incident," he said.
"My brother is the victim of political vengeance."
Alamgir Hossain, superintendent of police in Noakhali, denied Omar's allegation and said Nazrul directly took part in the Rakibul's killing.
Police so far arrested six accused and were trying to arrest the others, he said.
Meanwhile, an alleged robber was killed in a "gunfight" with police in Kushtia's Bheramara upazila.
The dead, identified as Mohon Ali, 35, was a member of a robbery gang accused in at least 14 cases on various charges with different police stations, our Kushtia correspondent reports, quoting police.
The "gunfight" occurred beside the Kushtia-Ishwardi road near Lalon Shah Bridge around 3:00am when a police team conducted a raid in the area, said Mohammad Shahjalal, OC of Bheramara Police Station.
"The gang was preparing for a robbery when they were confronted by police. That's when the gunfight began," the OC said.
Police found Mohon's body when the other robbers fled the scene, he added.
A pistol, two machetes and two rounds of ammunitions were recovered from the spot, the OC claimed.
Seeking anonymity, one of Mohon's relatives told our correspondent that Mohon stayed at Daulatpur bordering area and they lost communication with him a long time ago.
"We were informed that police in plainclothes detained Mohon from a Daulatkhali bordering area on Monday."
When asked, OC (investigation) Mohammad Zahurul Islam of Bheramara Police Station denied the allegation.