Two killed in 'shootouts' with police, Rab

Two suspected drug peddlers were killed in separate “shootouts” between law enforcers and their “associates” in Shariatpur and Feni yesterday.

The victim in Shariatpur is Suman Pahar, 25, from Uttar Baluchar village in Shariatpur municipality.

His family claimed that some plainclothes men had picked up Suman in front of a shop of their village on Friday evening.

Abdul Momen, superintendent of Shariatpur police, said Suman stood accused in 11 cases, including six narcotics cases, filed with different police stations.

Suman's brother Rajon Pahar said, “My brother worked in Dhaka. We know that there were four narcotics cases against him. He came to the village to celebrate Eid with family.”

He alleged that some plainclothes men picked up Suman along with two other villagers in front of a shop of their village on Friday evening.

Although the two others were sent to jail, they did not get any information about Sumon. They went to Palong Model Police Station several times, but law enforcers did not give them any information about him, he added.

Contacted, Md Moniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of the police station, said he did not know anything about the detention of Suman and the two others. 

The police official said on information, a joint team of police and detectives raided Chhaygaon village where some drug peddlers had gathered to share drug money around 2:30am yesterday.

Sensing presence of law enforcers, the drug peddlers hurled crude bombs and opened fire on them. The law enforcers returned fire, triggering the “gunfight”. After the “gun battle”, bullet-hit Suman was found lying on the spot, the OC added.

He was taken to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

The police official claimed to have recovered one kg of cannabis, six crude bombs and a motorcycle from the spot.

In another incident, an alleged drug peddler was killed in a “gunfight” with Rab in Sultanpur Kabiraj pond area in Feni Sadar last night.

The victim, Suman alias Lal Suman, 35, stood accused in 14 cases, including murder, robbery and narcotics, lodged with Feni Sadar Police Station, according to Rab-7 officials. 

A team of Rab-7 conducted the drive in Sultanpur Kabiraj pond area around 10:00pm, acting on information that some drug traders gathered there to sell drugs. Sensing presence of the law enforcers, the criminals opened fire, prompting them to retaliate, Rab officials claimed.

Lal Suman was injured during the “gunfight” while the others managed to flee. Rab took him to Feni Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

With the two deaths yesterday, at least 222 suspected drug dealers and peddlers have been killed since the anti-narcotics drive began on May 4. Most of them were killed in “shootouts” with police and Rab.

Our correspondents in Faridpur and Feni contributed to this report.