Alleged gunfight with police kills man

A man was killed in what the police called a gunfight with them at Nateswar in Sonaimuri upazila of Noakhali early Friday, reports news agency UNB.

The deceased identified as Mokhlesur Rahman alias Dacoit Subal, 38, of Durgapur village in Begumganj upazila was a robber, the law enforcement agency claimed.

Abdus Samad, officer-in-charge of Sonaimuri police station, said when a patrol team of police challenged a gang of robbers around 12:45am, they opended fire on the policemen, forcing them to fire back in self-defence that triggered the gunfight.

After the robbers fled the scene, the law enforcers recovered bullet-wounded Mokhlesur Rahman from the spot. He was taken to Noakhali General Hospital, where physicians declared him dead.

The OC said Mokhlesur Rahman was the leader of a gang of robbers. There are 11 cases filed against him with different police stations.

Police claimed to have recovered arms and ammunitions from the spot.

According to the human rights body, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 421 people were killed in alleged gunfights, crossfires or shootouts with the law enforcement agencies including police, RAB, BGB in 2018.

In the first 11 months of this year, the number of such killing was at least 347, the rights body said on its website.