2 killed in crossfire

Two outlaws including a regional leader of banned Gono Mukti Fouz (GMF) have been killed in shootouts between law enforcers and the operatives in Kushtia and Naogaon.
The dead are Abu Abbas, 40, regional leader of outlawed GMF and Sainul Haq alias Hira, 45, a top cadre of Lal Pataka, a faction of banned outfit Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML).
Acting on a tip-off, police cordoned off the Kakiladah graveyard of Mirpur upazila in Kushtia, where activists of outlawed GMF were holding a meeting at about 11:30pm on Friday.
When the policemen asked the outlaws to surrender, they opened fire on the cops prompting the law enforcers to retaliate.
Abu Abbas was killed on the spot while his associates managed to escape.
A Pakistan-made rifle and five rounds of bullet were recovered from the scene.
Police said Abbas was accused in 16 cases on different charges including murder.
Meanwhile, acting on information, members of Rab 5 cordoned off a house at Bhatkui village in Naogaon where members of Lal Pataka, a faction of outlawed PBCP-ML led by Hira were holding a meeting at about 12:30am.
Rab members asked the Lal Pataka activists to surrender but the outlaws opened fire on the law enforcers prompting them to retaliate.
Hira was killed in the shootout while his cohorts managed to flee.
Rab recovered a shutter gun, a pipe gun, a rifle and three bullets from the spot.
Hira had been accused in several cases on different charges including murder, Rab sources said.