4 killed in Chuadanga, Rajbari, Naogaon ‘gunfights’

Four alleged criminals were killed in three separate “gunfights” with law enforcers in Chuadanga, Rajbari and Naogaon today.

Among the four, two alleged leaders of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party were killed in Chuadanga and Rajbari.

In Chuadanga, a local leader of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party was killed in a “gunfight” with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Khashkarra village of Alamdanga upazila early today.

The deceased, Oltu mondol, 40, was accused in seven cases including the killing of a Chuadanga fish farmers’ leader Ziaur Rahman on April 19 this year, our Kushtia correspondent reports quoting Rab.

Major Munir Ahmed, commander of Rab-6 in Jhenidah, said a group of criminals shot two rounds of bullets on a patrol team of Rab when the latter was passing through Khashkarra Bazar around 3:30am.

The “gunfight”, for around half an hour, took place when the elite force retaliated, the Rab official said.

Rab later found the body of Oltu Mondol after the gunfight ended while the other criminals managed to flee the scene, the Rab official said, adding that one locally made rifle and five bullets were recovered from the spot.

Torikul Islam, additional superintendent of police in Chuadanga told that Oltu was involved in outlawed party for last 13 years. He carried out various crimes including murder, extortion, robberies and abduction.

Oltu was accused in seven cases, including two for murder, four for extortion and one for abduction, filed with different police stations in Chuadanga district, the police official said.

In Rajbari, another regional leader of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party faction Lal Pataka was killed in a “gunfight” with police at Chardalandi village in Goalondo upazila early today.

The deceased Korom Ali, 36, of Tenaponcha village in Goalondo upazila, was arrested from a hideout in Hemayetpur of Dhaka yesterday afternoon, reports our Kushtia correspondent quoting police.

The gunfight was ensued between the cohorts of Korom and police when the latter went to recover firearms from the area with Korom, police said. 

Korom had been evading arrest for last three years with various crime charges against him in Rajbari, said Obaidur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Detective Branch (DB) of police in Rajbari.

The detectives brought Korom to Rajbari last night and interrogated him when he informed about his hidden cache of firearms at Chardalandi village. Police started for the spot with Korom to recover the arms and were attacked by outlaws on the way, he said.

“Outlawed followers of Korom attacked the police team when it reached at the abandoned house of one Amzad Hossain in the village around 3:30am,” the OC said.

The “gunfight” ensued when police retaliated, the DB official said.

“Korom was caught in the line of fire when he tried to flee from the police van,” he also said, adding that Korom received two bullets in his head and chest and died on the spot.

Police recovered a one shutter gun and two bullets from the spot.

According to Goalondo Police Station, Korom was accused in five cases including three murder and two explosives cases filed with the police station.

Meanwhile, in Naogaon, two suspected robbers were killed in a “gunfight” between their cohorts and police at Choubaria Haat in Manda upazila early today, reports our correspondent.

The deceased were identified as Sujon Hossain, 30, of Rajshahi and Mozammel Haque, 35, of Chapainawabganj.

Being informed that a gang of robbers were taking preparation to commit robbery in the area, a team of police from Niamatpur and Manda police stations went to the spot, said Anisur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Manda Police Station.

When the robbers were heading towards Choubaria Haat by a truck, a part of the joint team of police put a barricade on the road to arrest them around 2:30am, he said.

At one stage, the robbers opened fire to police as they tried to avoid the arrest by breaking the barricade, prompting the law enforcers to retaliate, triggering the gunfight, he said, adding that Harun Ur Rashid, a constable of Niamatpur Police Station, was hurt when the truck tried to plough the police.

Two robbers were caught in the line of fire during the gunfight and died on the spot while two others sustained bullet injuries, the police official also said, adding that police have seized the truck and recovered several locally made sharp weapons.

Police arrested the two other injured robbers -- Imran Hossain and Sohel Rana -- from the spot while the rest managed to flee the scene, the OC said.

The bodies of the deceased have been sent to Naogaon General Hospital for autopsy, he added.