2 killed in RAB 'gunfight'

Two persons were killed in what the law enforcers called a gunfight in Munshiganj on Tuesday.

According to UNB news agency, the deceased -- Khasru Miah alias Lengra Khasru, 37, son of Suruj Mia, and Sumon alias Kana Sumon, 35, son of Abul Quasem -- were killed in the alleged gunfight with the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Sadar upazila's Ballalbari.

Tipped off that Khasru and Sumon were staying in front of Ballalbari mosque, a team of RAB-11 conducted a drive there around 2:00pm, said superintendent of police Enayet Hossain Manna of RAB-11.

Sensing presence of the elite force, Khasru and Sumon opened fire on them, forcing the elite force members to fire back in self-defence that triggered a gunfight, UNB quoted RAB as saying.

At one stage, Khasru and Sumon were caught in the line of fire while fleeing the scene and died on the spot, said the RAB official.

Five RAB men were also injured during the gunfight, he said, adding that two of them were sent to the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka and the rest three were given first aid at Munshiganj General Hospital.

The RAB team recovered two pistols, five bullets and 39 yaba tablets from the spot.

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