Suspected criminal killed in Jashore gunfight

A robber was killed in a gunfight in Monirampur upazila of Jashore early today, police said.

The dead, Md Nuruzzaman alias Nurul Haque alias Keru, was accused in 12 cases filed including for robbery, Towhidul Islam, additional superintendent of police of Jashore, told The Daily Star.

According to the first information report (FIR), a mob at Keshabpur upazila caught Keru and another person who were fleeing with a battery-run easy-bike around 7:00pm yesterday.

On information, police rescued them and learnt after interrogating them that Keru was a robber by profession.

A police team, with the alleged robber in tow, conducted a drive to recover illegal firearms stored by Keru and his associates in Kotwali and Monirampur areas around 11:45pm last night.

The police team, on the way, faced barricades put up by Keru's aides. They fired at the lawmen and tried to snatch Keru, the FIR said.

The law enforcers, in self-defence, fired back, it said.

At one stage of the gunfight, Keru tried to flee the scene but received bullets fired by his associates, the FIR added.

After the gunfight, he was rushed to a hospital in Monirampur upazila where the doctors declared him dead around 4:00am today.

Three constables -- Md Nazir Ahmed, Ziaul Haque, Sudev Kumar Sana -- were injured during the incident.

They are undergoing treatment at the hospital, police said.

A gun, one bullet and four sharp weapons were recovered from the spot.

Keru was also accused in several cases filed under explosives substances act and firearms act.

Police filed a case with Monirampur Police Station.