6 killed in ‘gunfights'

Six people, including five robbers, were killed in reported gunfights across the country on Tuesday.

The incidents took place in Khulna, Habiganj, and Lakshmipur districts in the early hours.

In Khulna, four robbers, including the head of their gang, were killed in an alleged gunfight with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in the Sundarbans under Koyra upazila.

Sources within the elite force identified the deceased as Aminur, 37, who headed the gang of robbers, his second-in-command Rafik, 35, Akhtarul, 34, and Monish Saha, 34.

RAB 6 Commanding Officer Lt Col Syed Md Nurus Salehin Yusuf claimed the incident took place near Koyra canal, a branch of Shibsa River in the mangrove forests, in the early hours.

Three firearms, and large cache of ammunition were recovered from the area afterwards.

RAB 6 Special Company’s acting commander Assistant SP Md Tofazzal Hossain claimed, the firefight and subsequent casualties occurred during a raid in that area, which RAB conducted based on a tip-off to arrest the robbers.

He added that two RAB members had also sustained minor injuries during the raid.

In Habiganj, a suspected robber was killed during an alleged gunfight between a group of robbers, and police at Shayestaganj upazila early Tuesday.

Identifying the deceased as Kudrat Ali, 40, Shayestaganj police OC Mozammel Haque claimed the incident took place in Purasundha Bansh Bagan area of the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway.

Mozammel said the firefight ensued after a police team, led by Sadar Circle Additional SP Rabiul Islam, conducted a raid in that area to catch the group of robbers.

He added that Kudrat was killed on the spot, while his cohorts managed to flee. Four members of police’s Detective Branch, including two sub-inspectors, were also injured at the time.

Police recovered a firearm, and some local weapons from the scene afterwards.

The OC said Kudrat was involved in a number of robberies across the district, and he is accused in 13 cases filed at different police stations.

In Lakshmipur, police recovered a youth’s body with bullet wounds in the early hours of Tuesday in Dattapara union’s Bakultala area under Sadar upazila.

Until last night, police are yet to identify the deceased.

Chandraganj police station OC Abdul Kalam Azad said a police team went to investigate in that area after hearing gunshots, and found the youth’s body.

"We suspect he was shot to death during a gunfight between two rival criminal groups," he said, but could not say the names of the groups.

He further said that police had recovered a gun, two bullets, five bullet shells, and some local weapons from the scene.