Rape suspect killed in 'gunfight'

An alleged rapist has been killed in a “gunfight” with police at Kolaroa upazila in Satkhira early yesterday.

The dead, Sohag Hossain, 24, from Boalia village in Keragachhi under the upazila, was accused of raping a class three student.

Officer-In-Charge (OC) of Kolaroa Police Station Biplob Kumar Nath yesterday said Sohag Hossain raped a nine year old student of a primary school in Keragacchi union on Saturday at 11:00am. The victim's maternal grandmother filed a case against Sohag with the station that evening.

In the case statement, the victim's grandmother said they came to know that Sohag was staying in Hizoldi village under bordering union Chandanpur of the upazila. 

On the basis of the information, a police team, led by Sub-Inspector (SI) Solaiman, went to the area to arrest Sohag. When police were passing by Hizoldi field, some miscreants shot at police and also hurled brickbats at them.

Police fired back in retaliation. 

After the exchange of gun shots for about 20 minutes, the criminals fled. One person was found bullet hit and lying on the spot with a one shooter gun and bullets.  Police rushed him to Kolaroa Health Complex, where the on-duty emergency doctor declared him dead. 

Locals identified the dead youth as Sohag Hossain. 

Kolaroa upazila Awami League (AL) Joint Secretary and Keragachhi Union Parishad Chairman SM Afzal Hossain said that Sohag, who was a supporter of AL, was involved with drug smuggling.

The OC said, an inquest was done on the body of the dead and it was later sent to Satkhira Sadar Hospital for an autopsy. SI Solaiman, as a plaintiff, has filed a case under the Arms Act and on charges of attack on police. Sohag has been accused in the Arms case, while he and 4-5 other unknown persons have been accused in the case for attack on police.

OC Biplob Kumar Nath said Assistant Sub-Inspectors Habibur Rahman and Sagar sustained minor injuries from gunshots and brickbat throwing by the miscreants. They have been given first aid.

On the other hand, a relative of Sohag, preferring anonymity, said, police arrested Sohag from his in-laws' house at Boalia area on Saturday evening after the case filed against him. Yesterday morning, the relative heard that he had been killed in a gunfight with police.