'Drug peddler' killed in Kushtia ‘gunfight’

A suspected yaba peddler was killed in what police claimed a gunfight in Kushtia Sadar upazila early today.

The deceased was identified as Rafiqul Islam, 40, hailing from Haripur area in the upazila, our Kushtia correspondent reports quoting officer-in-charge of Kushtia Model Police Station Nasir Uddin.

Acting on a tip off, a team of police conducted a drive at Harora field of the village where two groups of "drug peddlers" were holding a meeting around 3:00am, the official said.

Sensing the presence of police, the drug peddlers opened fire on them, prompting the officials to fire back triggering the "gunfight", he added.

At one stage, the criminals fled the scene leaving behind Rafiqul's body on the spot, the official said.

Police recovered one pistol, three bullets and 380 pieces of yaba from the spot.

Rafiqul was a listed drug trader and was accused in six cases with Kushtia and Islamic University police stations, reports the correspondent.