Jashore rape accused killed in 'gunfight'

A rape accused was killed in a “gunfight” between two groups of drug peddlers in Jashore town's Kholadanga area early yesterday.

The dead, Shamim, 30, was the prime suspect in a case filed over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in the district.

Shamim was also involved with drug trading and terrorism activities, claimed police, adding that he had 17 cases against him with different police stations and was the mastermind of the explosions of crude bombs in Harijan Colony five days ago.

Shihabur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Puraton Kasba Police Outpost, claimed that they raided the Kholadanga area around 3:00am on information that two groups of drug dealers would meet there.

When the law enforcers reached the spot, the drug dealers were already engaged in a “gunfight”, the OC said, adding that sensing police presence, the criminals escaped the scene, leaving Shamim behind with bullet injuries.

Doctors declared Shamim dead after he was taken to Jashore General Hospital, the OC said. The body was sent to the hospital's morgue for autopsy.

Ahmed Tarek Shams, a doctor at Jashore General Hospital, said Shamim had died before he was brought to the hospital.

Police claimed to have recovered a pistol, one bullet and 50 yaba pills from the spot.

The Daily Star, however, could not independently verify the police claims.

Elsewhere in Durgapur village of the district's Abhaynagar upazila, a ninth-grader was allegedly raped by a man yesterday.

The accused is Abdul Aziz Sarder, 45, of the same village.

The girl's mother, a labourer of Akij Jute Mills Ltd, filed a case with Abhaynagar Police Station.

According to the mother, Aziz and his cohort entered the house of the girl around 1:00am when the mother was at work in night shift. Aziz raped the girl and his cohort guarded them.

At one point, locals rushed to the house hearing her scream, she added.

Aziz fled the scene along with his cohort but threatened the girl with death if she had shared the rape incident with anyone, the mother alleged.

Md Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Abhaynagar Police Station, said the girl was sent to Jashore General Hospital for medical tests.

She will record her statement under section 22 before a magistrate tomorrow [today], the OC said, adding that the law enforcers were trying hard to arrest the accused.