An outlawed party leader was killed in a “gunfight” with Rab in Kushtia's Kumarkhali upazila early yesterday.

The dead, Abdul Kuddus alias Sagar, 47, of Urakandi village in Rajbari Sadar upazila, was the regional leader of Purbo Banglar Communist Party's Lal Pataka faction.

Mohaiminul Haq, commander of Rab-12 in Kushtia and also additional superintendent of police, said they raided Kaya village of Kumarkhali on information that some criminals were holding a secret meeting there. 

A Rab team, led by him, cordoned off the spot around 3:30am and asked the criminals to surrender. Instead of complying, the criminals opened fire, the Rab official said.

The Rab members then returned fire, triggering the “gunfight”. After an hour- long battle, the criminals fled and the Rab team found a body on the spot.

Later, the deceased was identified as Abdul Kuddus alias Sagar.

Two Rab members were injured in the incident. They were given primary treatment, the Rab official added.

Rab also claimed to have recovered three firearms, 13 bullets and a sharp weapon from the spot.

According to Kushtia and Rajbari police, Sagar had been involved in outlawed party politics for over 18 years. He stood accused in a dozen cases filed with different police stations in Kushtia and Rajbari.

Kamal Hossain Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge of Rajbari Sadar Police Station, told this correspondent that six cases, including two for murder, were lodged against Sagar with his police station.