6 killed in ‘gunfights’ with cops, BGB

Six people, including four alleged drug peddlers and a gang rape accused, were killed in “gunfights” with the police and the BGB in three districts early yesterday.

In Mymensingh, Jahirul Islam, 20, and Jony Mia, 26, were killed in “gunfights” with police in Fulbaria and Sadar upazilas.

Shah Kamal Akanda, officer-in-charge of the Detective Branch of Mymensingh police, said acting on a tip-off they launched a drive in Fulbaria upazila’s Kaladah Eidgah area around 2:30am to arrest Jahirul.

He was accused in a case over the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl in Palashtoli village of the same upazila on Saturday.

Sensing the presence of police, criminals fired shots at the law enforcers, triggering the gunfight.

At one stage, the criminals fled the scene. Police found bullet-hit Jahirul lying there and they took him to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) where doctors declared him dead around 3:00am, said the OC who led the drive.

He said two cops, who were injured in the “gunfight”, received treatment at Fulbaria Upazila Health Complex.

Police claimed to have recovered a gun from the spot.

In another incident, police conducted a drive in Char Puliamari area of Mymensingh around midnight on Sunday night on information that a group of alleged drug peddlers were gathering there, OC Kamal said.

A “gunfight” broke out there around 12:30am as the criminals opened fire at the law enforcers.

The DB official said the incident left alleged drug peddler Jony Mia critically injured. He was sent to MMCH where doctors declared him dead.

Police claimed to have recovered 200 grams of heroin and a knife from the spot.

Sub-Inspector Akram Hossain and constable Motiur Rahman were injured in the incident. The two were given primary treatment at Mymensingh Police Lines Hospital, said police.

In Cox’s Bazar, three suspected drug peddlers, including two Rohingya men, were killed in “gunfights” with the BGB in Teknaf and Ukhia upazilas.

The dead are Nurul Islam, 27, and Md Aiyub, 22, both from Kutupalong Rohingya camp, and Delwar Hossain, 30, from Teknaf upazila.

Lt Col Faisal Hasan Khan, captain of Teknaf BGB, said they launched a drive at Kharangkhali of Hoikang area near the Naf river around 3:30am yesterday.

“Sensing the presence of law enforcers, the drug peddlers opened fire at police, triggering a gunfight,” the BGB official said.

Injured Nurul and Delwar were admitted to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex. Later, they were shifted to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital where doctors declared them dead, the BGB official added.

The BGB said they seized 20,000 yaba pills, two arms, two sharp weapons and four bullets from the spot.

The two bodies were sent to the hospital morgue for autopsies. The BGB filed a case with Teknaf Police Station in this regard.

In another incident in Ukhia upazila, suspected drug peddler Aiyub was killed in a “gunfight” with the BGB in Ruppati area early yesterday.

Anwar Hossain, additional director of 34 BGB Battalion in Cox’s Bazar, said a BGB team was conducting a drive in the area around 4:00am. The team signaled a motorbike to pull over, but the bikers didn’t comply and opened fire at the BGB men.

The BGB personnel fired retaliatory shots. The “gunfight” lasted for about 10 minutes.

Later, the BGB men informed the Inani Police Outpost about the incident. Police rushed to the spot and found Aiyub lying there with bullet wounds.

Aiyub was taken to Ukhia Upazila Health Complex where doctors pronounced him dead, said the BGB official.

In Habiganj, suspected robber Soleman was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Chunarughat upazila’s Dewatali Kalinagar area.

Nazmul Haque, OC of Chunarughat Police Station, said a team of police conducted a drive in Dewatali Kalinagar area around 3:00am on information that a gang of robbers was taking preparations to commit a robbery.

Sensing police action, the robbers opened fired at the law enforcers, sparking the “gun battle”, the OC said.

The incident left Soleman injured. He died on way to a hospital.

Four cops, who were also hurt in the incident, were undergoing treatment at Chunarughat Upazila Health Complex, said police.

The Daily Star could not independently verify any of the claims made by the police and the BGB.

Despite concerns from human rights defenders from home and abroad, “gunfights” between law enforcers and alleged criminals have been occurring across the country.

According to rights body Ain o Salish Kendra, at least 198 people have been killed in “gunfights” with law enforcers between January and June this year.

Our correspondents in Mymensingh, Cox’s Bazar and Moulvibazar contributed to this report.