‘Drug peddler’ killed in a ‘gunfight’

A suspected drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with members of Rapid Action Battalion in Barishal city early yesterday.

The dead Malek Fakir, 35, was accused in at least 15 cases related to drugs, said Nurul Islam, officer-in-charge of Barishal Kotwali Police Station.

Raisuddin, additional superintendent of Rab-8, claimed a team of the elite force challenged a group of drug peddlers around 4:00am in Jagua-Choupashar Pole area of the city.

At one point, the criminals opened fire, forcing the law enforcers to retaliate, he added.

Fakir sustained bullet injuries during the “gunfight”. Later, Rab members rushed him to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead, the Rab official claimed.

The body was then sent to the medical college morgue for autopsy.

Rab also claimed to have recovered a foreign pistol, two one-shooter guns, nine bullets, 725 yaba pills and Tk 2120 in cash from the spot.

The Daily Star, however, could not independently verify the law enforcers’ claims.

Meanwhile in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar, police recovered two bullet-hit bodies.

The dead are Kabir Ahmed, 40, and Rubi Akter, 25, hailing from the upazila’s Pallanpara, were sibling and spouse of notorious Rohingya robber Abdul Hakim, said police.

Prodip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station, said the duo might have been killed in a “gunfight” between Hakim Bahini and their opponents.

Police recovered the bodies around 10:00am receiving information from the locals, he added.

The bodies were sent to Cox’s Bazar General Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Our Barishal and Cox’s Bazar correspondents contributed to this report