Two detained killed in alleged gunfight

Two people were killed in what the law enforcement called a gunfight with them in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar early Saturday.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Amin alias Nur Hafej, 32, from Naya Bazar of Hoaikhyang union and Mohammad Sohel, 27, from Rongikhali of Hnila union in the upazila.

Police said the two were mentioned in a list of drug peddlers prepared by the home ministry.

A team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) handed over the victims along with Syed Nur and Syed Alam alias Kalu to the Teknaf police station on Friday night. RAB also disposed of recovered 810,000 yaba tablets, six arms with the police station around 9:00pm that day, police said.

Cases were filed against the detained under arms and narcotics control acts.

As per the information of the detained, police went to the foot of a hill at Rongikhali Gazipara in Hnila to recover yaba tablets and detain other drug traders, said Pradip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Teknaf model police station.

As soon as the law enforcers reached the spot, yaba traders including Abul Alam snatched their arms and opened firing that triggered the gunfight, he added.

Amin and Sohel sustained bullet injuries while trying to flee the scene, Pradip said adding that five police members also sustained injuries in the incident.

Police brought seven wounded to the hospital around 5:30am, said Titu Chandra Shill, a physician at Tekanf upazila health complex.

Critically wounded Amin and Sohel were shifted to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hosptial where physicians declared them dead.

Police said Amin was a cohort of top Rohingya robber Abdul Hakim. They also claimed to have recovered six LNGs, cartridges and 95,000 yaba tablets from the foot of the hill.

The bodies of the victims have been kept at the hospital morgue. Police have filed a case in connection with the 'gunfight'.

A total of 192 people including three women have been killed in reported gunfights with police, RAB, Border Guard of Bangladesh and alleged gun traders in Cox's Bazar so far since the country-wide anti-drug drives were launched on 4 May 2018. The deceased include 51 Rohingyas including two women.

At least 334 people have fallen victims to extrajudicial killings across the country in 10 months from January this year, according to Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), a human rights body in the country.