4 'criminals' killed in 'gunfights'

Four alleged criminals were killed in separate “gunfights” with law enforcers and drug peddlers in Dhaka, Chattogram, Meherpur and Cox's Bazar yesterday.

In Dhaka, a suspected drug peddler was killed in a “shootout” with Rab around 5:15am yesterday.

The dead is Nabi Hossain, 47, of Teknaf in Cox's Bazar.

Mohiuddin Faruque, company commander of Rab-2, claimed Nabi was accused in at least 10 cases. He used to sell yaba in the city.

A team of Rab took position near Dhaka Udyan on information that Nabi was carrying yaba from Teknaf, Mohiuddin claimed.

Nabi opened fire on the Rab men when they intercepted a CNG-run auto-rickshaw in the area that was carrying him, forcing the law enforcers to retaliate, he added.

During the “gunfight”, Nabi sustained bullet injuries. Later, he was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead, the Rab official further said.

Rab also claimed to have recovered a pistol and 10,000 yaba pills from the spot.

Meanwhile in Chattogram, a suspected robber -- Delwar Hossain, 32 -- was killed in a “gunfight” with a team of Rab-7.

Mashkur Rahman, an assistant director of Rab-7, said they got involved in the “gunfight” in the port city's Banshkhali upazila.

He also came up with a similar narrative of the “gunfight” as Rab-2. He also claimed to have recovered four firearms and 22 bullets from the spot.

Elsewhere in Cox's Bazar, another suspected drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with police early yesterday, hours after the law enforcers picked him up.

The dead is Abul Hashem, of Teknaf.

Pradip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station, claimed they arrested Hashem around 9:30pm on Wednesday and later took him along to conduct a drive to recover arms around 3:00am in Khoaikong Satgariapara area.

Sensing police presence, his cohort opened fire at law enforcers, forcing them to retaliate. Hashem was injured during the “gunfight”, he claimed.

He was rushed to local health complex where doctors declared him dead, he further claimed.

In Meherpur, a suspected drug peddler -- Fazlur Rahman Faju -- was killed in a “gunfight” between two groups of drug peddlers, claimed police.

The incident happened around 2:20am in the district's Gangni upazila, said Harendranath Sarkar, officer-in-charge of Gangni Police Station.

Police also claimed to have recovered a gun, one bullet and one kilogramme of hemp from the spot.