Overnight ‘gunfights’ kill 3

Three persons were killed in separate ‘gunfights’ with the law enforcement in Chapainawabganj and Cumilla districts early Monday.

In Chapainawabganj’s Gomastapur upazila, two persons were killed in what Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) called a ‘gunfight’ with the ‘robbers’, reports UNB.

The identities of the deceased could not be known yet.

Being tipped off, according to camp commander of RAB-5 Syed Abdullah AL Murad, members of RAB conducted a raid in a den where a group of 5-6 robbers were reportedly preparing for committing a robbery around 12:15am at night.

Sensing the presence of the elite force members, the robbers opened fire on them, prompting them to retaliate, triggering a gunfight which left the duo injured with bullet.

In Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla, another suspected robber was killed in a reported gunfight with police early Monday.

The deceased is Al Amin, son of Sirajul Islam, a resident of Saliakandi village of the upazila.

A team of detectives along with the police conducted a special raid around 1:30am, said Manjur Alam, officer-in-charge of Muradnagar police station.

When the team reached the spot, the OC added, a gang of robbers opened fire on them, prompting the policemen to retaliate, he added.

Al Amin received bullet injuries during the exchange of fire, said the OC.

Later, the injured was taken to Comilla Medical College Hospital where physicians declared him dead.

The team recovered a pipe gun, two rounds of bullet, four sharp weapons and five masks.

Al Amin was accused in nine cases filed with the police station, the OC added.

The law enforcement’s versions of the events were, however, not verified independently as no versions of the incidents were available immediately either from any witnesses or from any members of the victim’s family.