Asim Roy Babu

An alleged drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with Rab in Chattogram city's Muradpur area around midnight on Thursday.

The dead is Asim Roy Babu, 40, of Banshkhali upazila.

Family members and police sources said Asim was involved in politics of Jubo League. However, The Daily Star could not verify the information independently.

Mimtanur Rahman, senior assistant director of Rab-7 media wing, said a Rab team received a tip-off that drug peddlers would cross the Bibirhat Railway Gate area in Muradpur.

As the team signalled a car to pull over at a temporary check post in the area, its passengers opened fire on the Rab men.

Members of the elite force fired back, triggering the “gunfight”.

The shooting ended after sometime and the Rab team found bullet-hit Asim lying injured on the spot. He was sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) where doctors declared him dead.

Mimtanur said four Rab personnel, including the deputy director of Rab-7 (Feni camp), were injured in the “gunfight” as they were hit by bullets.

The injured are Squadron Leader Shafayet Jamil Fahim, DD of Rab-7, Maj Hasan, Lance Corporal Shahid and sainik Arif. They were admitted to Chattogram Combined Military Hospital (CMH). Yesterday evening, they were sent to Dhaka CMH for better treatment.

The Rab said two others travelling in the car managed to flee. It also claimed to have recovered two pistols, three magazines and 12,000 yaba pills from the vehicle.

Talking to The Daily Star on condition of anonymity, a cousin of the deceased said Asim owned a clothing shop in the city's Riajudding Bazar. He was on his way home in Murdarpur's Sunnia Madrasa area from the shop when the incident took place.

“We don't know what exactly happened to my cousin, but he told his wife over the phone on Thursday night that some plainclothes law enforcers intercepted his car.”

According to him, Asim earlier did politics with Jubo League leader Helal Akbar Chowdhury Babar, but a rivalry developed between the two over some political issues and Asim parted company with Helal.

Lt Col Miftahuddin Ahmed, commanding officer of Rab-7, said all their men were in uniform at the check post in Bibirhat Railway Gate area.

Seeking anonymity, the officer-in-charge of a police station in the port city said Asim was arrested in a case in 2009. He was also accused of carrying out an attack on Helal's car.

Despite repeated attempts, this correspondent could not reach Helal for comments as his phone was found switched off.

Yesterday afternoon, Asim's relatives received his body from the law enforcers after an autopsy at the CMC morgue.

The Rab handed over the car to Panchliash Police Station. It will file a case with the police station in this connection.