‘Yaba dealer’ killed in ‘gunfight’

An alleged yaba trader was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila early yesterday.

Abdul Malek, 36, was the son of Mokbul Hossain from the district’s Natun Pallanpara area, said Prodip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station.

A team of police conducted a raid in Lengurbeel Mathchara area around 12:15am.  

Sensing their presence, a group of yaba traders opened fire on them, forcing them to fire back that triggered a “gunfight”, the OC added.

Later, police recovered bullet-injured Malek from the spot and took him to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead, the OC said.

Police also recovered two locally made firearms, six bullets and 5,000 yaba pills from the spot.

Three policemen -- ASI Ram Chandra Das and Constable Abdus Shukur and Raju -- were injured during the “gunfight”, said OC Prodip.

Two cases were filed with Teknaf Police Station, the OC added.