2 more killed in alleged gunfight

Two more men were killed in a reported gunfight with a team of Detective Branch (DB) of police in Aftabnagar area of the capital early Thursday, reports news agency UNB.

The law enforcement claimed the deceased were drug traders -- Tarzan Monir, ring leader of the notorious terrorist group ‘Tarzan Bahini’ and his associate Shah Ali alias Shaheen Shah.

Being tipped off that a consignment of hemp will be carried through the area, a team of DB police challenged a microbus around 4:45am, said Mashiur Rahman, deputy commissioner (North) of DB police.

Being chased by the law enforcement, the criminals opened fire on police, forcing them to fire back in self-defence.

At one stage, Tarzan and Shah Ali sustained bullet injuries. Later, they were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where physicians declared them dead.

Police recovered four pistols, four magazines, 1.5 maunds of hemp and 14 bullets from the spot.

Police also arrested Chhoto Monir, driver of the microbus, and one Shahadat from the spot.

DC Mashiur said that Tarzan and Shah Ali were found to be involved in the killing of Julhash Hossain Molla, who was shot dead in front of his residence in the area following an enmity over sharing of drug-money on 19 March.

Prothom Alo, however, could not verify DB’s version of the incident independently as no version was available immediately either from any witness or from any member of the victim’s family.

According to the human rights group, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a total of 421 people were killed in alleged gunfights, crossfires or shootouts with the law enforcement agencies in 2018.

In January and February of 2019, the number of such killing was 50, the rights body said on its website.