Bullet-riddled body of 'drug dealer' found

The body of a 25-year-old was found with bullet wounds in Shariatpur Sadar upazila yesterday morning, two days after plainclothes men identifying as detectives allegedly picked him up from his house.

The victim was identified as Kalu Sikder, 25, son of Siraj Sikder of Khalshi area.

Police claimed Kalu was a drug dealer. He was accused in five cases, including three related to drugs.

Monirujjaman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said a police team recovered Kalu's body after locals noticed him lying dead by the road.

The body was sent to Shariatpur General Hospital for autopsy. Two bullets had pierced through his chest, resulting in his death, doctors said.

Kalu's brother-in-law Suruj Sikder said several plainclothes men, identifying themselves as detectives, handcuffed him and took him away in a white microbus on Friday evening.

“We went to Sadar Police Station to file a general diary but the police refused to register it. Later, after receiving information from locals, we identified his body at the hospital,” he said.

“I don't understand who killed my son,” said Siraj Sikder, Kalu's father, claiming that his son, an easy bike driver, was not a criminal.

However, Abdul Momen, superintendent of police (SP) in Shariatpur, told our Faridpur correspondent that detectives did not pick Kalu up and police will investigate the murder to find those responsible.

With Kalu, at least 171 alleged drug traders have been killed since the anti-narcotics drive began on May 4. Most of them were killed in “shootouts” with police or Rab.

One injured in 'shootout'

In Rajshahi, police shot an alleged drug peddler during a “gunfight” in Godagari early yesterday.

Abdul Matin, 30, son of Amir of Char Kanapara, was taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital with bullet injuries on his left leg and was undergoing treatment, said Additional SP Abdur Razzak, a spokesperson of Rajshahi district police.

Matin was accused in 10 cases, including eight for drug peddling and smuggling, he said.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided the Baliadangi area of Godagari. At around 3:00pm, the group of suspected drug peddlers began attacking the police team with firearms. A few minutes after police retaliated and the “gun battle” ensued, the miscreants fled the scene leaving injured Matin behind, ASP Razzak said.

He also claimed that three police officials received injuries during the gunfight as well.

Police seized 200 grams of heroin, Tk 79,500 in cash and four machetes, among other possessions, from the scene.