3 killed in separate gunfights in Dinajpur, Pabna: Police

Three people were killed in what police called gunfights with them in Dinajpur and Pabna early Thursday, reports news agency UNB.

In Dinajpur, two suspected robbers were killed at Maguria village in Nababganj upazila.

The deceased were identified as Wajed Ali, 30, of Ghoraghat upazila and Rafiqul Islam, of Gaibandha. They were wanted in several criminal cases, police said.

Ashok Kumar Chouhan, officer-in-charge of Nababganj police station, said the law enforcement arrested the robbers from Nababganj on Wednesday night.

Later, a team of police took the robbers with them to Maguria village to recover firearms around 3:30am.

As soon as police reached the area, other members of the gang opened fire and tried to snatch Wajed and Rafiqul from police.

During the gunfight, the two robbers sustained bullet wounds as they tried to flee the scene, police said.

Later, they were taken to a local hospital where physicians pronounced them dead.

Four policemen, including officer-in-charge (investigation) Shamsul Islam, were injured in the gunfight, police claimed.

In Pabna, Habban, 50, was killed in a reported shootout with police at Char Shibrampur in sadar upazila.

Habban was wanted in 12 criminal cases, the law enforcement said.

Acting on a tip-off a team of police conducted a drive at a banana grove in the area around 2:00am, said sub-inspector Mohaimenul Islam of sadar police station.

Criminals opened fire when the police team reached the spot, triggering the gunfight. Habban sustained bullet wounds and was arrested from the spot. Physicians pronounced him dead, when he was taken to a local hospital.

Four policemen were injured in the shootout, SI Mohaimenul Islam claimed.

Police claimed to have recovered a revolver and five bullets from the spot.

According to the human rights body Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 421 people were killed in 2018 while 370 killed in 2019 in such gunfight, crossfire and shootouts with different law enforcement agencies.

At least 21 people were killed in gunfights, shootouts and crossfires in the first month 2020, ASK said on its website.