‘Gunfight’ takes two more lives

Two persons were killed in what the law enforcers called separate gunfights with them in Cox’s Bazar and Mymensingh.

In Mymensingh, a man named Khalil was killed in an alleged gunfight with policemen near on Maskanda Bypass Road early Monday.

According to police, Khalil, from Bakchal village of Fulbaria upazila, was a member of an auto-rickshaw robbers’ gang. He was an accused in 10 cases, police said. 

Police also claimed two of its detective branch police members also sustained injuries in the ‘gunfight’.

Being tipped off that a number of auto-rickshaw muggers were trading the vehicles at Bypass Road area a team of DB police raided the area in the midnight.

The ‘muggers’ opened fire sensing the law enforcers’ presence, according to Shah Jamal Akanda, officer-in-charge of Mymensingh district detective police.

The law enforcers were forced to fire back in retaliation, he added.

Two auto rickshaws, one pipe gun along with Khalil who sustained bullet injuries were recovered from the spot. He was rushed to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where the physicians declared him dead.

Khalil’s body was sent to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.

In Cox’s Bazar, Nurul Quader Rana, 34, was killed in what members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-7) called a gunfight with them in Moheshkhali upazila of Cox’s Bazar early Monday.

RAB claimed that the deceased Nurul Quader Rana was the member of a robbers’ gang.

Eight firearms, including a foreign pistol, and 63 rounds of bullet were recovered from the spot, according to RAB.

Moheshkhali police station officer-in-charge (OC), Babul Azad, confirmed Nurul’s death in ‘gunfight’.

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 four months of 2019, the number of such killing was at least 115, the rights body said on its website.