Two 'robbers' killed in 'gunfight'

Two suspected robbers were killed in what police claimed was a gunfight between two gangs in Magura Sadar upazila yesterday.

In Chuadanga, a bullet-riddled body of the leader of an outlawed party was recovered yesterday, a day after he was allegedly picked up by a group of plainclothes men.

The deceased was identified as Abdul Bari Haq, 47, a top leader of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party's (PBCP-ML) Janajuddha faction.

Son of Pouchu Sheikh, Bari hailed from Natipota village in Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga.

Sukumar Biswas, officer-in-charge of Damurhuda police, said Bari was accused in 14 cases including four for murders and four for abduction filed with different police stations in the district.

He added locals noticed the body lying on Chalabhora field at Hogoldanga village in the morning and informed them.

A team of law enforcers recovered the body around 11:00am and sent it to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

Bari's wife Anjira Khatun claimed to reporters that several plainclothes men, identifying themselves as policemen, picked up her husband from nearby Karimpur village around 2:30pm on Friday. He had been missing since then, reports our Kushtia correspondent.

The OC however claimed that he had no idea about arrest of Bari by law enforcers.

This correspondent talked to some of the high officials of the district police, but all of them categorically denied knowing anything about the arrest.

Admitting Bari's involvement with an outlawed party, Bari's wife said the police often looked for him, though her husband had left that outlawed party long ago.

In Magura, the deceased were identified as Sibadul Islam Sheba, 42, and Kamal Mollah, 32, writes our Jheniadah correspondent quoting Sirajul Islam, officer-in-charge of Magura Sadar police.

“Two gangs of robbers had an altercation over distribution of looted goods. At one stage, they exchanged gunshots in the early hours today. On information, a team of police reached the spot and recovered two injured robbers,” the OC said.

The duo were rushed to Magura Sadar Hospital where doctors declared them dead, he added.

The police recovered seven bullets, four machetes and other weapons from their possession. Sheba is an accused in eight cases of robbery and Kamal is an accused in six cases for robbery and mugging, the police said.