Cop killed in gunfight with robbers

A police constable was killed during a gunfight with robbers on a trawler in the Meghna river in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj early today.

Three police personnel were also injured when the robbers hurled brick chips at a trawler carrying the law enforcers during the clash near Meghna bridge around 2:00am.

However, all the robbers managed to flee the scene with a trawler.

The dead constable was identified as Abdul Malek, reports our district correspondent quoting Md Habibur Rahman, superintendent of police in Munshiganj.

The SP said the gunfight took place when a team of police, who were patrolling the Meghna river with a river vessel, chased two trawlers carrying the bandits in the early hours of today.

Sensing danger, the robbers opened fire at four law enforcers, who were on the vessel, prompting the law enforcers to retaliate with bullets, the SP said.

Malek was hit by a bullet and fell into the river, he added.

Around eight hours after the gunfight, divers from Fire Service and Civil Defence recovered the bullet-riddle body of Malek.

A number of gang members might have received bullet wounds during the clash but police failed to arrest them as they managed to flee the scene with a trawler, he added.

Police seized another trawler of the robbers carrying different looted valuables and several sharp weapons.