3 killed in Cox's Bazar 'gunfights'

A robber was killed in a “gunfight” with Rapid Action Battalion in Cox's Bazar's Kutubdia upazila yesterday, according to Rab officials.

The dead, Didarul Islam, 32, hailed from Uttar Amjakhali village of Kutubdia, Cox's Bazar. 

Company Commander of Rab-7 Major Mehedi Hassan confirmed the death to The Daily Star, adding that a huge amount of locally made arms and ammunition were recovered from the spot after the incident.

He said the “gunfight” took place somewhere in Kutubdia upazila but denied to disclose the exact time, location and details of the operation.

In another separate drive, two alleged drug peddlers were killed in an exchange of fire with Rab-7 members at Keruntoli area under Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar at around 4:30am yesterday.

The dead are Ashik Jahangir Kudrat, 32, of Kotwali Thana area in Mymensingh district, and Arif Hossain, 30, of Tolaburo Mosque area in Narayanganj district.

Major Mehedi said the criminals opened fire on them when the elite force members signaled a Cox's Bazar-bound truck to stop at a checkpoint in Teknaf's Keruntoli area.

The two criminals came in the line of fire and died on the spot while the others managed to escape the scene, when the Rab members fired back, he added.

The Rab officials recovered one lakh pieces of yaba pills, two locally made arms and eight rounds of bullets from the truck. The truck was also seized for transporting narcotics.

The identities of the deceased were ascertained by the National ID cards and driving licences found on the bodies, said the Rab commander.

Major Mehedi said the bodies were handed over to police.

Teknaf Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ranjit Kumar Barua said the bodies were sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy after the inquest reports were prepared.

Filing of a case was under process, he added.

A total of 14 persons have been killed in “gunfight” with law enforcers in Teknaf in last one month.