3 killed in Cox's Bazar, Kushtia 'gunfights'

Two suspected robbers and an alleged drug trader were killed in separate “gunfights” in Cox's Bazar and Kustia in the wee hours of today.

In Cox's Bazar, two suspected robbers were killed in a reported gunfight between two rival groups in Kutubdia upazila, our staff correspondent reports quoting police.

On information that a “gunfight” was talking place at Dhorgaghat Beribadh in Lemshikhali village, a team of police rushed there around 3:00am, said Md Didarul Ferdous, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kutubdia Police Station.

Sensing presence of the law enforcers, the miscreants opened fire and fled the scene, the OC said.

Afterwards, police recovered two bullet-hit bodies and sent those to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for autopsy, he said.

The deceased could not be identified yet, but police suspected that they were members of a robber gang, our correspondent reports.

Police also recovered one firearm, two rounds of cartridges and 10 bullet shells from the spot.

Two constables -- Saidul Islam, 25, and Taposh Barua, 23, -- received minor injuries and later took primary treatment from Kutubdia Upazila Health Complex, the OC said.

In Kusthia, an alleged drug trader was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Swastipur in Sadar upazila of Kushtia early today.

Deceased Rafi Uddin, 35, son of Daud Ali of the upazila’s Baradi area, was an accused in eight drug related cases, police claimed.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of detectives and police raided an area at Swastipur where suspected drug peddlers were holding a clandestine meeting around 3:30am, said Nasir Uddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kushtia Model Police Station.

The alleged drug traders opened fire forcing the law enforcers to retaliate triggering a “gunfight”, the OC said. 

At one stage, they fled the scene leaving the body of Rafi, he told our local correspondent.

Police also recovered a pistol, two bullets and 50 bottle of Phensidyl from the spot.