‘Gunfights’: 3 killed in Dhaka, Rangpur

Three people were killed in separate “gunfights” with elite force Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in capital Dhaka and Rangpur early today.
In Dhaka, an alleged mugger was killed in a shootout between members of Rapid Action Battalion and his cohort at Taltola around 2:00am, Maj Maksudul Alam, deputy director for Rab’s legal and media wing, said.
Two foreign pistols and seven bullets were recovered from the victim’s possession, the Rab official added.
The deceased Yasin Sarkar Rajon, 35, son of Jahirul Haq, was a resident of Shapla Housing in West Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, his brother Nazmul Huq Panna told The Daily Star.  
Hailing from Homna of Comilla, Rajon worked as a plumber in the locality, Nazmul said.
Rajon went missing since July 12 evening after several people identifying themselves as Rab members picked him up from Sony cinema hall area in Mirpur 2, Nazmul said quoting his brothers friends.
He alleged that Rab members killed his brother and after that they were staging a drama over the killing.  
Rajon was killed during the exchange of fires between a group of muggers and the elite force members, Maruf Ahmed, operation officer of Rab-2, told our correspondent when he was asked about the allegation of the victim’s family.
Rab did not had any information about his went missing, the Rab official said.
Rajon was pronounced dead after his body was taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
His wife Shammi Akhter is seven months pregnant.
Rajon is the fifth among his four brothers and two sisters.
In Rangpur, two Rab members were also injured in the incident that took place around 3:30am, reports our local correspondent quoting Atiqur Rahman, deputy assistant director of Rab-13 camp.
The “shootout” victims were identified as Manik, 25, and his brother Sumon, 26, from Khalifadari area and accused in several murder, extortion and mugging cases.
A patrol team of the elite force found some youths gathering near Dhap check post area and asked their identity, the Rab official said. “But the youths stabbed the Rab members.”
The Rab members opened fire in self-defence, he added. The elite force members -- Saiful and Imran -- were taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for treatment, he said.