Man killed in 'gunfight' with police

An alleged drug peddler was killed in a “shootout” between his cohorts and police in Nurpur village under Akhaura upazila early yesterday.

Police claim locals handed over 25-year-old Jalal Uddin Badu, son of Daru Mia of Bautola village under Mugra union, to them after beating him up around 9:00am on Friday.

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However, Jalal's family and locals claimed that no such thing happened.

“After interrogation, we got information about his associates. When we took him to Nurpur village around 2:15am last night, his associates opened fire on us,” said Mossarrof Hossain Tarafder, officer-in-charge of Akhaura police.

“As the law enforcers retaliated, a gunfight ensued and Jalal got shot by his associates. Jalal was rushed to Akhaura Upazila Health Complex where duty doctors declared him dead,” he added.

The OC also claimed that ASI Selim and constable Nayan Bikash Chakma received minor injuries during the “shootout”.

However, Jalal's wife Halima Begum said some youths of the village got involved in a scuffle with her husband over gambling Friday morning.

After some time, police went there and picked up her husband.

“I visited my husband at the Akhaura Police Station and gave him a meal around noon. I went to seen him again in the evening with clothes. But I got the news of his death Saturday morning,” she said.

Some villagers of Bautola said they had no idea about the beating up of any drug peddler in their village.

Monir Hossain, chairman of Mugra Union Parishad, said Bautola is under his jurisdiction where no incident of mob beating had occurred.

The OC said the police recovered a locally made gun and four sharp weapons from the spot.

Jalal's body was sent to Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

The police said he was accused in three drug peddling and two theft cases filed with Akhaura police.