3 killed in separate ‘gunfights’

Three people, including the prime accused in a case filed for killing a mother and her 15-month-old daughter, were killed in separate “gunfights” with law enforcers in Jhenidah, Dhaka and Gazipur early today.

In Jhenidah, Kamal Hossain, 30, was killed in an alleged gunfight with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Dhaka-Khulna highway in Kaliganj upazila headquarter, reports our Jhenidah correspondent.

Hossain allegedly burnt his mother-in-law and sister-in-law to death over dowry after pouring petrol on their house at Farashpur village in the upazila on October 19.

Major Suruj Mia of Rab-6 Jhenidah camp said Hossain opened fire at a Rab-6 team in Koraitala Bus Stand area when the law enforcers tried to intercept his motorbike around 3:30am.

As the Rab members fired back, Hossain suffered bullet wounds, our Jhenidah correspondent reports quoting the Rab officer.

He was taken to Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex where the doctors pronounced him dead, he said.

Rab recovered a foreign pistol, a bullet and a magazine from Hossain’s possession.

In Dhaka, a team of Kotwali police arrested Rajib, accused in several robbery cases, in Dakkhinkhan area last night, said Yunus Ali, officer-in-charge of Uttarkhan Police Station.

Based on information given by the arrestee, the law enforcers conducted a drive in Uttarkhan area around 12:30am to arrest his associates.

Sensing presence of police, the gang of criminals opened fire, triggering a “gunfight” with the law enforcers that left Rajib injured.

Rajib succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, the police official said.

At Gazipur, miscreants opened fired when the elite force members were conducting a drive in Kumarkhaba area of Joydebpur after they received information of a snatching incident there, said Tuhim Mohammad Masud, commanding officer of Rab-1.

Sensing danger, Rab members opened fire, which set off a “gunfight” and left one Rafizul Islam critically injured.

Islam, an accused in at least 15 criminal cases including murder and robbery, succumbed to his wounds at Gazipur General Hospital, the Rab official said.