‘Neo JMB’ man killed in ‘gunfight’ with Kushtia police

A suspected member of banned militant outfit “Neo JMB” was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia early today.

Deceased Arman Ali, 42, was a caretaker of a militant den busted in the district earlier on June 1 where wives of two Neo JMB leaders were arrested, our Kushtia correspondent reports quoting police.

On information about a “secret meeting” of the militants at Boalia intersection point, two police teams conducted a drive there around 3:30am, said Shah Dara Khan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Daulatpur Police Station.

READ MORE: 'Safe haven' for top 'Neo JMB' leaders busted 

“Sensing the presence of police, the militants opened fire at the law enforcers. In retaliation, police also fired gun shots at them, triggering the gunfight,” the OC said.

At one stage, the militants fled the scene and police found a bullet-riddled body there.

Police recovered the body and sent it to Daulatpur upazila health complex, where on duty doctor declared him dead. Later, the deceased was identified as Arman Ali, OC Dara Khan said.

A foreign-made pistol, three machetes, and two bullets were recovered from the spot, he added.

Meanwhile, three police personnel were reportedly injured in the “gunfight”. They are Sub-Inspectors Sariful Islam and Subrata Kumar, and constable Nawshad. All of them were given first aid at Daulatpur upazila health complex, the OC claimed.

Arman hailed from Thakurpur village in Bheramara upazila of Kushtia. He worked as a cable line operator in Bheramara upazila town, while his wife Toly Khatun, a tailor, is now in Kushtia jail.

According to police, Arman with his wife Toly was nursing a Neo JMB hideout in Bheramara that was busted on June 1.

Police arrested “Neo JMB” chief Ayub Bachchu’s wife Tithi Khatun, its second-in-command Abzar alias Rashed’s wife Sumaiya Akter and Arman’s wife Toly from the den.

A madrassa student Arman, who was recruited in the ultra-radical offshoot of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in 2015 through its chief Sohel Mafuz, was on the run since the incident.