2 ‘drug peddlers’, 2 ‘robbers’ killed in separate ‘gunfights’

Two alleged drug traders and two suspected robbers were killed in separate “gunfights” with law enforcers in Khulna, Rajshahi and Jessore districts early today.

In Rajshahi, Sazzad Ali, a suspected drug peddler was killed in a reported gunfight with Rapid Action Battalion in Kosba area of Poba upazila.

Sazzad Ali was drug peddler of Haripur who was facing at least seven drug related case, our Rajshahi staff correspondent reports quoting Maj Ashraful Islam of Rab-5.

According to the Rab official, a patrol team of Rab asked a group of suspected drug peddlers to surrender following their suspected movement in the area around 1:00am.

Sensing danger, the gang opened fire on the elite force members near Kosba High School. In retaliation, the Rab members fired back that triggered the “gunfight”, said the Rab official.

At one stage of the “gunfight”, the group of drugs peddlers fled the scene leaving bullet-hit Sazzad on the spot, he said.

Later, Rab members seized 55 bottles of Phensidyl, a foreign pistol, one bullet, two cartridges from the scene.

In Khulna, listed drug trader Emran alias Rocky, 22, was killed in a “gunfight” with Rabmembersat Maheshwarpur in Daulatpurupazila.

Emran was the son of top listed drug trader Sheikh Mizanur Rahman alias HatakataMizan of the area.

Tipped off, a team of Rab-6 gave signal to a motorbike carrying three people to stop around 3:00am, said ASP Bazlur Rashid of Rab-6.

Defying the Rab signal, the criminals opened fire to Rab, forcing them to fire back in self-defence.

At one stage, Rab recovered the body of Emran along with a revolver, 3 bullets and 308 pieces of Yaba tablets from the spot.

Emran was wanted in seven cases, said the Rab official.

In Jessore, police recovered the bullet-hit bodies of two suspected robbers on Jashore-Manirampur road at Kanaitala in Sadarupazila around 2:55am.

The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately.

Apurba Hasan, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said acting on secret information that two gangs of robbers were exchanging bullets, a team of police went there, recovered the bodies and sent those to Jessore General Hospital.

The law enforcers also recovered three sharp weapons and some rope from the spot.