Robber killed in Cumilla gunfight: DB

A man was killed in what the Detective Branch of police called a gunfight with them on Dhaka-Chattogram highway at Choygharia in Chandina upazila of Cumilla early Friday, reports UNB.

The deceased identified as Khokon of Barguna district is a robber, the law enforcement said.

Tipped off that a group of robbers were preparing to commit robbery, a team of DB police conducted a drive in the area, said Ikhtiar Uddin, inspector of DB police.

Sensing presence of the law enforcement, the robbers opened fire on police, forcing them to fire back in self-defence, he said.

At one stage, Khokon was caught in the line of fire and suffered bullet injuries.

He was taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital where physicians declared him dead.

Policemen claimed to have recovered one pipe-gun, two cartridges and a sharp weapon from the spot.

According to the human rights body Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 421 people were killed in 2018 while 370 killed in 2019 in such gunfight, crossfire and shootouts with different law enforcement agencies.

At least 45 people were killed in gunfights, shootouts and crossfires in the first two months 2020, ASK said on its website.