Alleged gunfights kill 4 more

Four people were killed in separate incidents of what the police called gunfights at Nurullaghona hill and Dorgapara of Marine Drive road in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar early Saturday, reports news agency UNB.

The deceased were identified as Md Junayed, 36, Ayub, 30, Mehedi Hasan, 35,and Imran Molla, 32, of Kalkini upazila in Madaripur.

Three of them are robbers while the fourth one a drug peddler, the law enforcement claimed.

Pradeep Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Teknaf police station, said tipped off, a team of police conducted a drive in Nurullaguna hill area around 4:00am when a gang of 10-15 robbers including Junayed and Ayub were preparing to commit robbery in Kutubdia.

Sensing presence of police, the robbers opened fire on them, prompting them to fire back in self defence that triggered the gunfight.

After the gun battle, police recovered severely injured Junayed, Mehedi and Ayub from the spot and took them to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital where physicians declared them dead, the OC said.

Police claimed that additional superintendent of police Rezwan and inspector Manas Barua were shot during the gunfight. Three other policemen also sustained injuries in the reported gunfight.

Police recovered seven locally-made LGs, five sharp weapons and 25 rounds of bullet from the spot, the OC added.

In another incident, police recovered injured Imran Molla, who was severely wounded in an infighting between two groups of drug peddlers at Dorgapara of Marine Drive road around 2:00am, said OC Pradeep Kumar Das.

Police took him to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital where physicians declared him dead.

Police arrested two people in this connection.

The arresteed are Saifuddin Shahin, 38, of Sonaimuri upazila in Noakhali and Md Siddique, 27, of Hatirghona area in Teknaf upazila.

The dead bodies were sent to hospital morgue for autopsy, the OC added.

According to a 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 in Bangladesh in 2018.

In the first six months of 2019, the number of such killing was at least 200, the rights body said on its website.