Rohingya man among 2 killed in ‘gunfight’

Two people, including a Rohingya man accused of human trafficking, were killed in what the law enforcers called a gunfight with police at Katabunia in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar on early Sunday, reports UNB.

The deceased were identified as Md Rubel Hossain, 28, and Omar Faruk, 33, a Rohingya refugee from Kutupalong camp.

Pardip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Teknaf police station, said police conducted a drive to arrest members of a human trafficking group around 12:30am.

"The human traffickers opened fire as soon as our team reached the spot," he said adding, "Rubel and Faruk were killed in the ensuing gunfight."

UNB says, they were accused in human trafficking cases adding the police had sent the bodies to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

Two pistols and several bullets were recovered from the spot, according to the police.

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

In the first five months of 2019, the number of such killing was at least 162, the rights body said on its website.