Man killed in gunfight: DB

The prime accused in murder of an Ansar member was killed in what the police called a gunfight with them in Hashimpur area of Jashore Sadar upazila early Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Jewel, 29.

According to additional superintendent of Jashore Md Tawhidul Islam, a group of miscreants killed Ansar member Hossain Ali in broad daylight on 30 November. Police arrested 7 suspects following the killing on 14 December.

Tawhidul said as per the information from arrestees, police were trying to arrest Jewel and Munna.

He said Detective Branch of Police (DB) finally detained Jewel from Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday and later took him to Hashimpur area to catch prime accused Munna.

Munna and his cohorts opened fire at the police personnel at the time that led to a gunfight forcing police members to retaliate, the additional superintendent added.

The police recovered Jewel’s bullet-hit body and took him to Jashore 250-Bed General Hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead.

The law enforcers claimed to recover a pistol, a one shooter gun and nearly 10 rounds of bullets from the spot.

A case procedure is underway in this regard, Tawhidul Islam added.

According to the Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 388 cases of extra judicial killings and custodial deaths were reported in 12 months of 2019. Of them, 356 people were killed in alleged crossfires mostly with Rapid Action Battalion and the police before and after their arrests.

Also, the ASK added, 12 people were killed in shootouts with the police and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).