Drug trader killed in Joypurhat gunfight: Rab

A suspected drug peddler was killed in a "gunfight" with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Joypurhat earlier today.

The deceased, Ekramul Hossain (32) of North Gopalpur village under Panchbibi upazila, was a top drug trader of the district and stood accused in at least 17 cases on different charges with several police stations, Rab officials claimed.

More than 500 bottles of Phensidyl along with some yaba pills, a pistol, a crude gun and several rounds of bullets were seized during the raid, our Dinajpur correspondent reports quoting Mohaimenur Rashid, additional superintendent of police (ASP) of Joypurhat Rab Camp.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab raided a place near Shree River in Sheikhpur village under Sadar upazila around 3am, said the Rab official.

As soon as the Rab members reached the area, a gang of drug peddlers started firing on the team, leaving two of its members injured.  

The Rab team retaliated, triggering a gunfight that lasted for around 15 minutes until the miscreants fled the spot, Mohaimenur said.  

Rab men found Ekramul at the spot with a bullet wound, and rushed him to Joypurhat Modern Hospital where doctors declared him dead, the ASP said.  

Police sent the body to the morgue for autopsy, he added.