2 'robbers' killed in 2 'gunfights'

Two alleged robbers were killed in “gunfights” with police in Kushtia and Narayanganj early yesterday.

A police team went to Mahisdanga in Kushtia Sadar on information that seven to eight criminals were preparing to commit a robbery on Kushtia-Khulna highway, said Ratan Ali Sheikh, officer-in-charge of Islamic University Police Station.

The "robbers" blocked the road by placing logs on it, reports our Kushtia correspondent, quoting the police official.

When the law enforcers reached the spot around 3:30am, the criminals opened fire. Police returned fire, triggering a "gunfight", the OC said.

After the "gun battle", police found the bullet-hit body of Towhidul Islam, 40, on the spot.

He was declared dead when he was taken to Kushtia General Hospital, the OC said.

Towhidul, from Kadamdi village in Jhenidah's Shailkupa upazila, was a member of a robber gang, which commits robbery on highways, police claimed.

Police also claimed to have recovered a pistol, four bullets and a saw from the spot.

In Narayanganj, a suspected robber was killed in what police said in a "shootout" in Fuldee village of Sonargaon upazila, reports our district correspondent.

The deceased is Nazrul Islam, 36, of Dudkhatha village in the upazila.

A police team was patrolling Fuldee area where a local had announced through a mosque loudspeaker that 10-12 robbers inside a bush were preparing for committing a robbery, said Morshed Alam, officer-in-charge of Sonargaon Police Station.

When the team went there around 4:00am, the criminals opened fire. The law enforcers retaliated, triggering the “gunfight”, the OC said.

After the "gun battle", police found the bullet-riddled body of Nazrul on the scene, while others fled.

The body was sent to Narayanganj General Hospital morgue for an autopsy.

Police claimed to have recovered a foreign pistol, one bullet and five sharp weapons from the spot.

Nazrul was convicted in a murder case, the OC said, adding that he also stood accused in at least 10 robbery cases filed with different police stations in Narayanganj and Munshiganj.