3 killed in 'shootouts'

Three people were killed in separate 'shootout' incidents in Brahmanbaria district and Keraniganj Upazila on the outskirts of the capital early yesterday.

In Brahmanbaria, two persons, whom police identified as a drug trader and auto rickshaw lifter, were killed in separate incidents hours after they were picked up by law enforcement agencies.

Police picked up Yousuf Mia, 28, son of Nurul Islam, of Maiskhar village under Kasba upazila, from near Comilla-Sylhet highway along with 135 kilogram cannabis at around 1:45am.

An hour later when police escorted him to his home to recover more drugs, his cohorts opened fire at law enforcement agencies, forcing them to retaliate. This triggered a gun battle, said Mohiuddin Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Kasba Police Station, in which three police officers were injured.

The OC claimed Yousuf died on the spot after being shot. His accomplices fled away. Police claimed to have recovered a pipe gun from the spot.

Victim's brother Abu Bakar however told our Brahmanbaria Correspondent that Yousuf had been missing since Friday evening.

“We learnt he was picked up by police. We went to police station at around 11:45pm but on duty officers denied picking him up. We came to know about his death in the morning,” he said.

He claimed that police killed his brother and are trying to cover it up.  

In another shootout, an alleged auto rickshaw lifter Rokon Mia, 45, son of Yeakub Mia of Sadar Upazila, was killed during a 'gun battle' with police and his cohorts on Dhaka- Sylhet highway, police said.

Mohammad Quamruzzaman, inspector of Sarail Police Station, said police detained Rokon, member of an inter-district CNG mugging gang, at around 1:00pm from Bishwa road area and recovered a stolen auto-rickshaw from Uchaliapara at around 9:00pm.

His cohorts opened fire when police took him to Islamabad area to recover three more auto rickshaws, forcing the law enforcers to fire back. He died on the spot after being shot.  

Besides, an unidentified man aged around 35, was killed in a 'shootout' with police in Jhilmil project area in Keraniganj.

Monirul Islam, officer-in-charge of Keraniganj Police Station said the gunfight began at around 4:00am when a joint team of DB and Keraniganj police rushed on information that robbers had gathered there.

The robbers sensing police presence opened fire at them. Police responded with fire from shotguns, leaving one dead. Others fled away.

Police said they recovered a gun, three bullets and a knife from the spot.