3 Rohingyas killed in Cox’s Bazar ‘gunfight’

Three Rohingyas and an alleged drug peddler were killed in separate incidents of reported gunfights with police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members in Cox’s Bazar and Cumilla early today.

In Cox’s Bazar, the Rohingyas -- Shamsul Alam, 35, Nurul Alam, 21, and Habib, 20, -- were members of a child kidnapping gang, according to police.

Of them, Shamsul and Alam were residents of Thaingkhali Rohingya camp and Habib of Leda camp in Teknaf, our staff correspondent reports quoting Pradip Kumar Dash, officer-in-charge of the local police station.

Three constables -- Shaikat Barua, Arshedul Islam and Sekendar were also injured in the “gunfight” that took place near Leda Rohingya camp, said the OC.

OC Pradip said that a child was abducted from Leda area several days ago and a group of kidnappers demanded Tk 5 lakh from its family members as ransom.

On information, a team of lawmen raided the area and rescued the child around 12:00am, he added.

Around 2:30am, the policemen carried out a drive in a hilly area near the Leda camp to catch the abductors.

Sensing presence of the policemen, the criminals started firing at the law enforcers, forcing them to fire back that triggered a gunfight between them, the OC said.

The three abductors sustained injuries during the gunfight while the others managed to flee, the police official added.

They were rushed to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared them dead.

The bodies were sent to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

Two cases were lodged with Teknaf Police Station in this connection.

Three locally made LGs and eight rounds of cartridges were recovered from the spot, the OC said.

In Cumilla, an alleged drug smuggler was killed in a “gunfight” with a BGB team in Adarsha Sadar upazila around 2:45am.

Deceased Helal Uddin, 28, of Bajgodda village, was accused in seven to eight drug-related cases, said Maj Abdullah Al Faruqi, additional director, BGB battalion-10 in Cumilla.

A total of 3,000 yaba tablets were recovered from the scene.

The body was kept at Cumilla Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, said Abu Salam Mia, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model Police Station.