Murder accused killed in reported gunfight

A man was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Chakua Daria intersection in Gafargaon upazila of Mymensingh early Thursday, reports UNB.

The deceased identified as Ekhlas Uddin, 32, of Chakua village, was wanted in two murder cases – the latest one was for killing an auto-rickshaw driver last month, police said.

Tipped off, a team of police conducted a drive in the area around 1:30am, said Shahinuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Pagla police station.

As soon as police reached the area, Ekhlas and his associates hurled brickbats and fired gunshots, triggering a gunfight, the OC said.

Ekhlas was caught in the line of fire and sustained a bullet injury. Police took him to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where physicians declared him dead.

According to the 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 including police, RAB, BGB 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.