4 'drug dealers' killed in separate 'gunfights'

Four alleged drug dealers were killed in reported gunfights with law enforcers in Kushtia, Chapainawabganj, Dinajpur and Cox's Bazar districts early today.

In Kushtia, Shamsuddin alias Sham, 38, an alleged drug dealer and also accused in eight cases, was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Bankapul area of Bheramara upazila around 3:30am, said Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of local police station.

Upon information that a group of drug peddlers were having a meeting in Bankapul area, a police team raided the spot, the OC told our Kushtia correspondent.

Sensing presence of the law enforcers, the criminals opened fire prompting the team to fire back triggering the “gunfight”.

At one stage, the criminals fled the spot but police found Sham’s body lying on the spot, the OC said.

Police also recovered 500 pieces yaba, a one shooter gun and two bullets from the spot, the OC added.  

The police official further said Sham was earlier arrested twice in drug related cases filed with Bheramara Police Station.

He was last arrested on July 12, 2017 and released on bail.

In Chapainwabganj, another alleged drug dealer was killed in a “gunfight” with Rapid Action Battalion in Mollan area of Sadar upazila.

The identity of the deceased could not be known yet, Abu Khayer, deputy commander of Chapainawabganj Camp of Rab-5, told our local correspondent.  

Police also recovered firearms, bullets and phensidyl from the spot of the “gunfight”, the Rab official said.

In Dinajpur, an alleged drug peddler, Md Abdur Rahim, was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Parbatipur upazila early today.

Abdur Rahim, 45, a resident of Old Rail Gate area in Parbatipur municipality, was accused in different cases including murder and drug peddling, Habibiul Haq Prodhan, OC of Parbatipur Police Station, told our correspondent.

The incident took place around 3.00am at Bannirghat village on Parbatipur-Saidpur road when police intervened to control a clash between two gangs of drug peddlers, he added. 

Police recovered 100 yaba pills, 50 bottles of phensidyl and a one shooter gun from the spot.

In Cox's Bazar, an alleged drug dealer was killed in a reported gunfight between two groups of drug dealers in Chakaria upazila around 2:30am.

The deceased was identified as Md Ismail, 42, son of Abu Salam from the upazila, Bakhtiar Uddin Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Chakaria Police Station, told our Cox's Bazar correspondent.