2 ‘drug peddlers’ of Dhaka killed in ‘gunfights’

Two suspected drug peddlers were killed in separate incidents of gunfights with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Narayanganj and Dhaka early today.

In Narayanganj’s Rupganj upazila, Nadim alias Pachish (35), a top drug peddler of Geneva Camp in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur, was killed during an encounter with Rab around 2:30am, according to an SMS sent from its headquarters.

Rab claimed Nadim used to run his drug business under disguise of different social works. He was enlisted as a top drug peddler. He stood accused in as many as 12 cases including murder.

Meanwhile, another alleged drug peddler Ibrahim alias Pilot Babu, 35, was killed in what Rab claimed to be a gunfight in Mirpur Beribadh area around 4:30am. He was a ‘notorious drug peddler’ based in Mirpur area, according to the force.

“Two men on a motorbike were signaled to stop at a check post on Mirpur Beribadh. They hurled crude bomb on the Rab men. The lawmen opened gunfire in retaliation,” said Chowdhury Monzurul Kabir, commanding officer of Rab-4.

One of them was caught in the line of fire while the other managed to flee, the CO said. The injured was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where he was declared dead. Later, he was identified as Ibrahim alias Pilot Babu, who was accused in more than 15 cases.

A stash of 6,000 pieces of yaba pills, splinter of bomb and a motorcycle were recovered from the scene, the Rab official added.